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Bowl projections: Michigan a heavy favorite to land in Orlando vs. SEC

Anthony Broomeby: Anthony Broome09/23/25anthonytbroome
Sherrone Moore
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore fires up the student section during warm up ahead of the New Mexico game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, August 30, 2025. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Michigan Wolverines are into their first of two scheduled bye weeks this season sitting at 3-1 and the No. 19 team in the country. A win over Nebraska last weekend is not enough in the eyes of the media to put them in the College Football Playoff picture just yet, though.

This week’s roundup has a familiar spot featured in all but one projection. If the season were to end today, it seems another Big Ten vs. SEC showdown would materialize during bowl season.

Here’s this week’s roundup heading into Week 5 of game action.

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

Our colleague’s projection has a contest with Arch Manning and Texas taking place in Orlando. The Wolverines and Longhorns last met in Week 2 of last season in Ann Arbor, a 31-12 Texas victory. U-M and the Longhorns are currently set to meet again in 2027 as part of the home-and-home series that kicked off last year.

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

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 Mark Schlabach: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Texas (Dec. 31)

ESPN’s other bowl projection expert has what McMurphy has with a showdown against the Longhorns.

CBS Sports: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Tennessee (Dec. 31)

CBS Sports has another trip to Tampa on deck, this time against the Auburn Tigers. 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.

College Football News: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Alabama (Dec. 31)

If this projection came to pass, it would add another layer to the last few years of the Michigan vs. Alabama series. U-M has won the last two games, both in the Rose Bowl and ReliaQuest Bowl, which came on Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, respectively.

Pro Football Network: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Texas A&M (Dec. 31)

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.

Sports Illustrated: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Texas (Dec. 31)

Bryan Fischer’s projection is the third for a game against the Texas Longhorns. Seems like a lot of national media manifesting for a non-playoff blue blood showdown.