Texas-Michigan Game Next Season in Danger of Being Cancelled

The Michigan Wolverines have added a new non-conference game to their 2027 schedule on the same day they're supposed to play the Texas Longhorns in Austin.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) runs with the ball past Michigan Wolverines defensive back Jordan Young (14) for a touchdown during the second half at Camping World Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Longhorns are about to begin a highly-anticipated 2026 season that features a tough test early on in non-conference play against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Texas has not been shy during the Steve Sarkisian era when it comes to scheduling matchups with other elite programs. While some teams in the SEC -- like Texas A&M -- schedule games against FCS opponents, the Longhorns have put an emphasis on playing championship-level teams before heading into conference action.

This includes a home-and-home with Michigan that started in 2024 when Texas took the trip to Ann Arbor and dominated the Wolverines en route to a 31-12 win in front of a packed Big House.

However, the second part of that series is now at risk of being rescheduled or cancelled altogether.

Michigan Adds New 2027 Non-Conference Matchup on Same Date as Texas Game

Michigan Wolverines linebacker Jimmy Rolder (30) and Michigan Wolverines defensive back TJ Metcalf (7) tackle Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Wingo (6) during the first half at Camping World Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Michigan has scheduled a non-conference matchup with Eastern Michigan for Sept. 11, 2027, per reports from FBSSchedules.com.

This is the same day Texas and Michigan were set to play in Austin in 2027, according to the University of Texas football official website.

Texas is now faced with a tough scheduling issue: re-work future schedules in order to find a way to fit Michigan in, or cancel the series altogether to avoid the headache.

While the Longhorns could always elect to reschedule their two other non-conference games with New Mexico State (Sept. 4) and UTEP (Sept. 18) in order to make room for the Wolverines, those two programs would likely request a substantial fee and would be forced to adjust their own schedules.

The fees involved in this would be pocket change for a program like Texas but it creates logistical issues that impacts the schedules of all the teams involved.

Potential Cancellation of Texas-Notre Dame Series Could Open Door For Michigan

Head coach Marcus Freeman during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The major development to watch would be what Texas does with its upcoming Notre Dame home-and-home series. If the Longhorns and Fighting Irish end up cancelling their games in 2028 and 2029, it would open the door for Texas and Michigan to play in 2028, four years after the series originally started.

Michigan currently has just two non-conference games scheduled for 2027 -- Sept. 2 against Central Michigan and Sept. 9 against Charlotte.

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said at the end of the regular season last year that the Longhorns would honor their matchups with Ohio State and Michigan in 2026 and 2027, respectively, after playing the first half of those two series on the road.

However, he made no promises about what would happen with Notre Dame.

"I think anything beyond (Ohio State and Michigan) is up for discussion," Sarkisian said last season. "(Chris Del Conte) and I have already had that discussion, we need to take a good, hard look at what our non-conference schedule looks like beyond the next two years."

Michigan at Risk of Remaining Winless vs. Texas All-Time

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) scrambles in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

If Texas and Michigan do end up playing the second half of the home-and-home, whether that's next season or after, the Wolverines would be in danger of falling to 0-4 against Texas all-time.

The Longhorns won the first meeting in a thriller at the 2005 Rose Bowl as Vince Young's four rushing touchdown led Texas to a 38-37 win. Young's performance was a preview of what was to come in the exact stadium a little over a year later.

The two teams met again nearly two decades later with the aforementioned 31-12 win for Texas in Ann Arbor.

And as fate would have it, last season end with a Texas-Michigan matchup in the Citrus Bowl. Arch Manning did his best Vince Young impression and led the Longhorns to a 41-27 win, sealing the game with a 60-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.

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