Michigan and Texas have met only once before, but it was a doozy.
The 2005 Rose Bowl ranks comfortably among the greatest bowl games in modern history. Led by quarterback Vince Young, the Longhorns scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to win 38-37, with the winning points coming on a 37-yard field goal in the final seconds.
Twenty seasons later, these two powerhouse programs will face off in a high-profile non-conference matchup pitting two of the strongest teams from the two strongest leagues in the Bowl Subdivision.
Defending national champion Michigan has a new head coach, a new quarterback and new contributors on both sides of the ball. The No. 9 Wolverines started the year with an uneven win against Fresno State, leading to a one-spot drop in this week’s USA TODAY Sports US LBM Coaches Poll.
No. 3 Texas blanked Colorado State 52-0 in Week 1, getting off on the right foot after last year’s breakthrough under coach Steve Sarkisian. While also dealing with offseason attrition, the Longhorns’ roster looks like the strongest and deepest of the Sarkisian era — a very good thing given this season’s shift to the SEC.
These are the questions that will determine the final score and the bigger themes underscoring a matchup that will help define the course of the 2024 season:
What do we know about Michigan?
Not too much, except for this key fact: Michigan has won 16 games in a row, including 23 in a row at home.
All but one of those wins came under Jim Harbaugh, now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. His replacement, former offensive line coach and offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, is still working in Harbaugh’s shadow as he looks to place his fingerprints on the program.
Despite the massive changes since the win against Washington in January, the Wolverines are still constructed to be one of the best teams in the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/whats-stake-michigan-vs-texas-110317770.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-09-06 11:03:17
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