Citrus Bowl Preview: Michigan vs Texas

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Given everything that’s unfolded in Ann Arbor over the past few weeks, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that Michigan’s season isn’t over and that the Wolverines still have a bowl game to play. With so much off-the-field news, the Citrus Bowl has become somewhat of an afterthought.

Which is a bit ironic, given the matchup. Michigan and Texas are two of college football’s most storied programs. The Wolverines and Longhorns rank first and fifth on the NCAA’s all-time wins list, with nearly 2,000 victories between them. And it’s not as if all of their success is in the past. The teams have combined for five appearances in the last five College Football Playoffs, with Michigan winning the title in 2023.

This season, however, each team dealt with its share of disappointment.

Texas came into this season with national championship aspirations. The Longhorns began the season atop the polls, but a week one loss to Ohio State set the tone for an up-and-down season that featured disappointing losses and some closer-than-expected wins. Texas ended the season on somewhat of a high note, defeating in-state rival Texas A&M, but even that didn’t take away the sting of missing the College Football Playoff.

Michigan has also endured its share of disappointments. The Wolverines finished the season with a 9-3 record, but a moribund offense and three ugly losses put a damper on the season. What was already a frustrating season slipped into the surreal when head coach Sherrone Moore was fired and subsequently arrested in mid-December.

It was a turn of events that threatened to throw not just Michigan’s season, but its future, into a tailspin. As Michigan’s coaching search stretched into its third week with no apparent hire in sight, interim head coach Biff Poggi suggested that as many as two dozen players might leave the program.

Last week’s hiring of Kyle Whittingham seems to have stabilized things, at least momentarily. So much so that in a surprising turn, Michigan’s list of opt-outs for the game is relatively small – with just a handful of NFL hopefuls not participating.

That being the case, tonight’s game will also serve as an opportunity for young players like quarterback Bryce Underwood, running back Jordan Marshall (who’s expected to play), wide receiver Andrew Marsh and a young offensive line to not only get a month’s worth of practice reps, but also to play against a quality SEC opponent.

While Michigan will have close to a full complement of players at its disposal, Texas won’t have the same luxury. As many as ten Longhorns are not expected to play. And not just any players. Texas will be without its top two running backs, its second leading receiver and a number of key defensive personnel – including All-SEC selections Anthony Hill, Michael Taaffee and Malik Muhammad.

That’s not to say, however, that the cupboard is bare. Quarterback Arch Manning gets most of the headlines, but wide receiver Ryan Wingo (50 receptions for 770 yards and seven touchdowns) and edge rusher Colin Simmons (11 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss) will be two of the better players on the field when the teams meet in Orlando.

Despite the loss of so many talented players, head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns look to build on their victory over Texas A&M and complete a ten-win season (which would be Texas’s third straight double-digit win season) and carry some momentum into 2026.

For Michigan, most of the dark clouds hovering over the program have dissipated with the hiring of Whittingham. Rumors of wholesale transfer portal losses have been replaced by the hope that the majority of the roster (and recruiting class) will stay together.

In that respect, it’s already a successful end to the Wolverines’ season. A victory over Texas would even make it more so.

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