2024-09-07 23:20:02
College football powers No. 10 Michigan and No. 3 Texas will play for just the second time ever on Saturday in a blockbuster Big Ten vs. SEC showdown. The only other meeting was a Rose Bowl thriller on Jan. 1, 2005, when the Longhorns outlasted the Wolverines 38-37 on a field goal as time expired.
Now, nearly 20 years later, they will tangle in an on-campus venue for the first time as the Longhorns take on the challenge of playing the Wolverines inside Michigan Stadium. Both were part of last year’s four-team College Football Playoff, won by Michigan, and they narrowly missed playing each other when Texas fell to Washington in a tight semifinal contest.
Although the Wolverines are the reigning national champions and playing on their home field, they enter Saturday’s showdown as underdogs following an offseason of change. Coach Jim Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers, and 13 players from the team’s 15-0 run were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Though the Wolverines maintained some continuity by promoting offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, there are new faces everywhere for the program. Meanwhile, Texas returned its coach, both coordinators and a star quarterback from last year’s 12-2 team. That type of continuity often pays championship dividends. But will it make a difference for the Longhorns in a hostile environment?
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How to watch Texas vs. Michigan live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Michigan Stadium — Ann Arbor, Michigan
TV: Fox | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
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Texas vs. Michigan: Need to know
Quarterback contrast: Both programs have recruited and developed quality talent over the past several recruiting cycles. However, they vary greatly at quarterback. The Longhorns tout a pair of former No. 1 overall prospects at the position in starter Quinn Ewers and backup Arch Manning. Meanwhile, the Michigan quarterback competition ran throughout preseason between a group of understated competitors with considerably less impressive credentials. Davis Warren, a former walk-on, won the job and got his first career star in Michigan’s 30-10 Week 1 win over Fresno State. His 15 of 25 passing performance was good enough for a win but not good enough to settle the questions over how Michigan ended up in a position with no better options.
Can Michigan sustain the run? Some of the personnel has changed, but Michigan’s identity remains the same: the Wolverines want to run the football. The question is whether or not they’ll be able to do it successfully enough against Texas to sustain drives. Lead running backs Kalel Mullins and Donovan Edwards combined to average 4.6 yards per carry in Michigan’s season-opening win over Fresno State. But eight of their 26 attempts went for 2 yards or less against a team not known for playing stout run defense. Running on Texas should be even more of a challenge. The Longhorns were excellent defensively against Colorado State, but they also have something to prove. Facing Michigan will be a litmus test for a defensive front that lost interior defenders Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat — both first-round draft picks — from one of the nation’s best run defenses.
Conference bragging rights: There’s already been one battle this season between ranked teams from the Big Ten and SEC. It went the Big Ten’s way as USC downed LSU to cap a 17-1 start to the season for the league’s 18 teams. Meanwhile, the SEC started out just 2-3 against teams from other power conferences in Week 1. The SEC could use a strong week, and this game is clearly the league’s best opportunity to make a statement. But a Michigan win would further strengthen the Big Ten’s early claim for conference superiority.
Texas vs. Michigan prediction, picks
Nothing Michigan showed in its Week 1 victory over Fresno State suggested the Wolverines are going to be making many offensive outbursts in 2024. The Wolverines went eight straight possessions without a touchdown at one point against a Mountain West team. But Michigan still appears to have a pretty good defense. Texas quarterback’s Quinn Ewers’ chemistry with a new group of pass-catchers will be tested in one of the sport’s most hostile environments. Touchdowns will be rare for both teams. Pick: Under 43
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 2? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned over $2,000 in profit since its inception — and find out.
