Fantasizing About Some Dream Matchups for Michigan in the Expanded Players Era Tournament

Thanksgiving week in Las Vegas marks the return of one of the most rapidly rising tournaments in the non-conference slate.

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Repeating as the Player's Era Tournament just got a lot tougher for the National Champions. Instead of 16 teams, the field grows to 24 with two separate championships to win. The Players Era 8 features Florida, Houston, Kansas, Auburn, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Rutgers and UNLV. While the 16 team slate gets Michigan as the marquee and eight other teams that they beat last season are also involved.

ESPN will now be the home of the elite basketball showcase that the Big Ten has won in both instances. Those who were open to a new format got their wish as it will now be a bracket style tournament, just like March Madness is. So only two schools can claim bragging rights and take home all the prizes that it entails.

Potential Dream Matchups

That brings up the excitement for some matchups that we haven't seen in the sport for some time. A Michigan/Creighton showdown would spark some interest. They haven't met in seven years, with Michigan winning both meetings in the series. Entering the season, this will be the first time since 2009 that Greg McDermott is not the coach for the Blue Jays.

Believe it or not Michigan has never squared off with Baylor. There should be a mandate that these two must meet in the first round to end that drought. Combining the two tournaments or at least the two winners would be a ratings bonanza for ESPN. A Michigan/Florida winner-take-all would bring in so much money and be like a national championship preview in November.

Player wise, rematching with Tennessee and Juke Harris to see who got the better end of that deal might be fascinating for some. Flory Bidunga and Moustapha Thiam could prove to be who is the best big man in the country. Then there's an intriguing freshman versus freshman possibility, as Brandon McCoy tussles with Jaxon Richardson of Alabama.

On the sidelines, Dusty May going head-to-head with Rick Pitino would pit one of the greatest coaches that the basketball world has ever seen against a man who is following in his footsteps. May got past Pitino in an exhibition before the regular season tipped off last year. May has faced off with seven of the other coaches in the regular season or tournament already and has beat them all.

With a target on their back's, Michigan will get everyone's A game in 2026-27. Throw in UConn, Duke and the Big Ten and the Wolverines will be battle-tested for another championship chase.