Texas, Michigan Gear Up For Top Ten Showdown

Regular season non-conference games between two blue bloods don’t happen very often. Texas and Michigan would know. Despite their shared history as college football royalty, the 2005 Rose Bowl is the only time they’ve ever met on the gridiron. Texas won that game 38-37, a prelude to their thrilling BCS National Championship victory in the same venue the following season.

While this game between the No. 3 Longhorns and No. 10 Wolverines won’t have the grandeur of the Rose Bowl behind it, there’s still plenty to be excited about. It’s a matchup of two playoff teams from last season, and winning this game will be a major step in returning to that stage. For Michigan, the defending national champions, a win would prove that they haven’t lost a step following the departure of head coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. For Texas, it would prove that last season, their best since 2009, wasn’t a fluke.

No More Cupcakes

Texas and Michigan both came away with wins against Mountain West opponents in week 1. The Longhorns shut out Colorado State 52-0 in a triumphant opening to their SEC era, while the Wolverines struggled in the first half against Fresno State before pulling away to a 30-10 victory. That tune-up game may have been supremely important for Michigan and first-time head coach Sherrone Moore, who had that game and practice this week to work out the kinks before playing a fellow playoff contender. After both Alex Orji and former walk-on Davis Warren played drives at quarterback last week, Warren will start for Michigan on Saturday.

Big time drive capped with a big time touchdown! pic.twitter.com/HCOOEg8X1G

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) September 1, 2024

Texas On The Road Again

Steve Sarkisian is no stranger to high-profile away games. His team’s 34-24 win at Alabama in Tuscaloosa last season was crucial in securing their place in the College Football Playoff, and the Longhorns operated with a target on their backs in every Big 12 conference game after they announced their move to the SEC. However, that doesn’t stop him from admiring the moment and the pageantry of college football before taking command of his sideline.

One of the things Coach Sarkisian is emphasizing with his team is the importance of being poised and composed when traveling to a hostile environment. He said that, while there’s a lot of emotion in the game, it’s imperative that they keep the heads clear and that he trusts his team to tune out the noise. That won’t just be important for this game in Ann Arbor, but also the Longhorns’ rivalry games at Arkansas and Texas A&M later in the season.

A sellout crowd of over 110,000 will be on hand at the Big House to cheer on Michigan, who are currently underdogs by a touchdown. The game kicks off at noon ET on FOX.