Skip to main content
Michigan

Michigan bowl projections, Week 1: Feeling the cheesiest

Anthony Broomeby: Anthony Broome09/02/25anthonytbroome
Michigan Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore during a bowl win over Alabama. (Photo by Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)
Michigan Wolverines football head coach Sherrone Moore during a bowl win over Alabama. (Photo by Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

The Michigan Wolverines and most of the college football world have played just one game so far this season, but bowl projections never stop in media circles.

Michigan is not considered a challenger for the College Football Playoff just yet, but a win at Oklahoma this weekend might change that. BetMGM still has its over/under win total set at 8.5, so not much has changed after a New Mexico opener where U-M earned a 34-17 victory.

Coming off an extended Labor Day weekend slate of games, several outlets have updated their projections as of Tuesday. Here are some of the notable selections so far.

On3’s Brett McMurphy: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Texas A&M (Dec. 31)

Our colleague’s projection has a Texas A&M showdown, which was a popular Michigan bowl matchup possibility in these roundups last year, but it never came to pass. U-M holds a 2-1 all-time advantage in the series with wins in 1970 and 1979, respectively. A&M won the most recent matchup, a 22-20 victory in the 1995 Alamo Bowl. The Wolverines were last in Orlando for the 2020 Citrus Bowl, a 35-16 loss to Alabama.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: Music City Bowl vs. Ole Miss (Dec. 30)

One-half of ESPN’s bowl projection contingent has Michigan heading to Nashville to take on Lane Kiffin and the Rebels. The programs have met once, a 35-3 Wolverines victory in the 1990 Gator Bowl.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Tennessee (Dec. 31)

The other ESPN prognosticator has Michigan in Orlando taking on the Tennessee Volunteers. The Vols have a 1-0 advantage in the all-time series thanks to a 45-17 win in the 2001 Citrus Bowl, but Michigan will take a win in the Savion Hiter recruitment into this game.

CBS Sports: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Auburn (Dec. 31)

The third Citrus Bowl projection brings about the third different SEC opponent. Michigan and Auburn have split the all-time series at a game apiece, with a Tigers win in the 1983 Sugar Bowl and a Wolverine win in the 2000 Citrus Bowl.

Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Florida (Dec. 31)

Our fourth, final and cheesiest projection comes with a renewal of Michigan fans’ favorite bowl rivalry (sarcasm intended). It simply would not be bowl projection season without this matchup.

Michigan and Florida played 3 of 4 years between 2015-18, with Wolverine wins in the 2015 Citrus Bowl (41-7) and the 2017 season opener (33-17), followed by a New Year’s Six loss in the 2018 Peach Bowl (41-15).

Bryce Underwood vs. DJ Lagway? That would draw some eyeballs.