Bowl projections: Michigan destination, opponent all but set after loss to Ohio State

The Michigan Wolverines will not be heading to the College Football Playoff for the second year in a row, meaning the bowl assignment is the next thing to wait for in finding how what the next step for Sherrone Moore’s program is.

A 27-9 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes, which snapped a four-game winning streak in the series, has Michigan limping a bit into whatever comes next. That also includes the fanbase morale, but the youngest team in the Big Ten has a chance to get to 10 wins with whomever it plays next.

That team is likely to be out of the SEC, and at this point, likely Texas, in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Like it or not, that could be a matchup that headlines the non-playoff slate of games, and one that many would tune into for Bryce Underwood and Arch Manning alone.

Here is what the bowl predictors are saying this week, each predicting a trip to Orlando against one of two SEC opponents (but really, just one).

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

Our national colleague has Michigan in Orlando in a rematch with Texas. The Wolverines and Longhorns last met in Week 2 of last season in Ann Arbor, a 31-12 Texas victory.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Texas (Dec. 31)

Get used to seeing this matchup in these projections. ESPN’s contingent is all-in on the Michigan/Texas showdown, which would mean a bowl game for a second year in a row against a three-loss team that believes it should have been in the College Football Playoff despite how the games played out on the field.

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

CBS Sports has the Wolverines up against the Vanderbilt Commodores, who are currently ranked inside the top 10. Michigan and Vandy have met 11 times on the gridiron, with the Wolverines holding a 10-0-1 all-time record. The last time they met was a 27-7 U-M win in Ann Arbor in 2006.

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

Mark Athlon Sports down for the Underwood/Manning showdown, too. That is, unless, Manning’s late-season surge leads him to opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft. That seems unlikely, but cannot be ruled out.

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

College Football News had Michigan playing Vanderbilt during last week’s roundup, but has also pivoted to U-M playing the Longhorns for the second time in as many years. The two programs are currently scheduled to meet in Austin in 2027;

Sporting News: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs. Texas (Dec. 31)

Bill Bender of the Sporting News has joined most of his national colleagues in predicting Michigan and Texas playing in Orlando.

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

Make that No. 6 for Michigan and Texas from Camping World Stadium. U-M’s last trip to Orlando came on Jan. 1, 2020 in a 35-16 loss to Alabama.

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

Bryan Fischer brings it home this week with another Citrus Bowl pick for Michigan vs. Texas, the worst-kept secret of bowl season.

“From the CFP decisions will come the rest of the bowl picture that should feature some fantastic matchups,” he wrote. “Imagine Diego Pavia and 10-win Vanderbilt taking on the Hurricanes in the Gator Bowl for the right to be the best non-playoff team this season? The Citrus Bowl feels pretty much locked into Texas-Michigan as it has been for weeks.”