Michigan football has a chance for revenge, and instead of waiting until 2027, it can get it now.
The Wolverines were on the cusp of contention for the College Football Playoff, but with three losses – the last at Ohio State – the Maize and Blue were unable to advance to the 12-team invitational tournament. But the same goes for Texas teams, which have had some of the better wins in college football but also had some sub-optimal losses.
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It was revealed that Michigan State is essentially a lock for the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl; it just has to wait for its opponent. But on Sunday, the remaining bowl game matchups were revealed as the CFP teams were finalized, and it turns out the Wolverines will face the Longhorns for the second time in as many years, with Bryce Underwood taking on Archie Manning.
The Wolverines lost the last time they faced UT, which was last year’s Week 2 game at The Big House. The last game was in the 2005 Rose Bowl (after the 2004 season), when Vince Young’s Texas defeated the Maize and Blue. This will be the third meeting between the two teams. Game 4 (unless they meet again in the playoffs next year) will be in Austin in 2027, the final game of the home-and-home series.
Michigan is now on a four-game playoff winning streak, first beating Iowa in the 2023 Big Ten Championship, then beating Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Washington State in the national championship, and Alabama again in last year’s ReliaQuest Bowl.
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Press release
Michigan football team will play Texas in Cheez-it Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve
Orlando, Florida – No. 18 Michigan will play No. 13 Texas in the Cheez-it Citrus Bowl, it was announced during the ESPN Bowl Selection Show on Sunday (Dec. 7). This will be the Wolverines’ seventh Citrus Bowl appearance and the program’s second time facing Texas in the postseason.
“We are excited to participate in the 80th Citrus Bowl, a game that has traditionally featured some of the most storied programs in college football,” said Michigan’s J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Sherrone Moore. “Our team is eager for the challenge of competing with Texas and is honored to represent the Big Ten on this stage. We look forward to the trip to Orlando and the opportunity to finish our season with the talented Longhorns team led by Coach Steve Sarkisian.”
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“Being selected to play in the 80th annual Citrus Bowl against Texas State is a tremendous honor for our program,” said UM’s Donald R. Shepherd Athletic Director Warde Manuel. “We are grateful to CEO Steve Hogan and the entire Citrus Sports Florida staff for the invitation, and we look forward to spending time in Orlando over the holidays. The Citrus Bowl has been a great partner to the Big Ten Conference, consistently delivering one of the premier bowl experiences in college football. Our student-athletes and coaches look forward to the opportunity to compete against a formidable opponent and represent Michigan on this prestigious stage.”
The Cheez-it Citrus Bowl is held at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Michigan Wolverines (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) vs. SEC’s Texas Longhorns (9-3, 6-2 SEC) will begin at 3 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast nationally by ABC.
The Wolverines are seeking their 33rd victory in school history and fourth in the past five seasons. Michigan State has won five of its last six Citrus Bowl games against Texas. The Maize and Blue have one of the nation’s top defenses, ranking 13th nationally in rushing defense (101.7 ppg), 16th in scoring defense (18.7 ppg), 19th in interceptions (13) and 22nd in total defense (213.3 ppg). Edge Derrick Moore earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, and cornerback Zeke Berry and linebacker Jimmy Rolder earned second-team honors. Moore leads the conference in sacks this season (10.0), while Berry leads the Big Ten in pass defense (9; 8 PBU and 1 interception). Roald led the Wolverines with 69 tackles, including 7.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one fumble recovery and one interception.
Michigan’s offense leads the ground game and is tops in the NCAA, ranking 16th with 213.2 yards per game. Big Ten second-team selection Jordan Marshall (932 yards) and third-team honoree Justise Haynes (857 yards) lead a potent rushing attack that has allowed the Wolverines to surpass the 100-yard mark 12 times this season. With a balanced offense, Michigan gained 2,558 yards on the ground and 2,229 yards through the air behind freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. The rookie completed 179 of 293 passes (61.1%) for 2,229 yards and nine touchdowns.
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UM has a 4-2 record in Citrus Bowl play, having appeared in the game in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2016 and 2020. The Maize and Blue had wins against Arkansas (1999), Auburn (2001) and Florida State (2008, 2016), but suffered setbacks at Tennessee (2002) and Alabama (2020).
This will be the second meeting between Michigan State and Texas in bowl season, the last meeting being in the 2005 Rose Bowl. In the 91st Rose Bowl, a battle between the Wolverines and Longhorns ended with Dusty Mangum’s 37-yard game-winning field goal as time expired to give No. 6 Texas a 38-37 victory over No. 13 Michigan. Braylon Edwards led Michigan with 10 catches for 109 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the Big Ten’s career receiving touchdowns leader (39). Chad Henne completed 18 of 34 passes for 227 yards and four touchdowns, and kicker Garrett Rivas had catches of 44, 32 and 42 yards for the Wolverines. Texas scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Here’s some background on Michigan’s bowl game history:
· The Wolverines will make their 54th bowl appearance, which ranks 11th among FBS schools.
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· Michigan will be playing in the Citrus Bowl for the seventh time. The Wolverines have a record of 4 wins and 2 losses in this game.
· The University of Michigan last appeared in the Citrus Bowl in the 2019 season, losing 35-16 to the University of Alabama on January 1, 2020.
· The Wolverines last won in Orlando during the 2015 season, beating Florida 41-7 on January 1, 2016.
· Michigan is 0-1 against Texas in bowl games, losing 38-37 on a second-chance field goal in the 2005 Rose Bowl.
· Michigan State has been to 13 different bowl games in its history, including the CFP National Championship Game, and has won 24 bowl games, ranking 17th among FBS schools.
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· This will be the 20th time the Maize and Blue teams have faced a Southeastern Conference school in a bowl game; posting a 10-9 record.
· This will be Michigan’s 43rd time facing an SEC school (27-14-1 score).
· This is Michigan State’s 21st bowl game against Florida State (10-10 record).
Ticket information
Donors and football season ticket holders who ordered bowl tickets during the priority request period will receive order confirmation via email today, Sunday, December 7. Cheez-it Citrus Bowl tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, December 8 at 9 a.m. by visiting MGoBlue.com/Tickets.
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Cheez-it Citrus Bowl Facts
Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Time: 3pm
TV: ABC
Location: Orlando, Florida
Facility: Camping World Stadium
Capacity: 60,219
Surface: artificial turf
Website:cheezitcitrusbowl.com
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Wolverines to face Texas in Citrus Bowl
