A new chapter is opening in Ann Arbor, and it doesn’t come with any easing-in period.
Kyle Whittingham is taking over Michigan in 2026 after 21 seasons at Utah, and the first schedule he gets is the kind that tests every part of a program. The Wolverines do have some comfort built in - eight games inside the Big House, including a season-opening four-game homestand through September - but the names on the other side of the field make this one of the toughest slates around. Two of those opponents are the last two national champions.
That’s why a few dates jump off the page right away.
The first real measuring stick comes on September 12, when Oklahoma visits Ann Arbor. Michigan opens with Western Michigan, but that warm-up disappears quickly once the Sooners arrive for a marquee nonconference showdown.
Oklahoma beat Michigan 24-13 in Norman last season, and Bryce Underwood had a rough night in that one. The true freshman quarterback finished 9-for-24 for 142 yards with 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, and he also ran for -1 yards.
This time, the question is how much of a sophomore jump he’s made against a defense that once again features an elite secondary.
Later in the season, October 24 brings another heavyweight to the Big House: Indiana. Under Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers have completely rewritten their football history, and they enter 2026 as the defending national champions.
The timing makes it even trickier. Michigan gets Indiana right after a homecoming game against Penn State on October 17, so the Wolverines will have little time to catch their breath before facing the sport’s reigning kings.
Indiana does have some major turnover, including at quarterback, where Josh Hoover replaces Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Even so, by late October, Cignetti should have his team rolling.
That game matters because the calendar gets uglier from there. Michigan heads into November with a trip to Oregon followed by the season finale in Columbus, so protecting home field against Indiana could be huge if the Wolverines want to stay in the hunt for the Playoff and the Big Ten Championship Game.
Then comes the one that needs no introduction: November 28 at Ohio State.
The rivalry always carries weight, but this one could be especially important if Michigan has handled business earlier in the season. The Wolverines have won their last two trips to Ohio Stadium, taking the 2022 meeting 45-23 and the 2024 matchup 13-10.
Keeping that streak alive will be a major challenge. Underwood struggled badly against Ohio State last year, completing just 8 of 18 passes for 63 yards, 0 touchdowns and an interception.
He added only one yard on the ground. If Michigan’s offense looks that flat again against Matt Patricia’s defense, another lopsided result could be waiting.
And if the Wolverines reach the finale with two or three losses already, a defeat to their biggest rival could end any Playoff hope on the spot.
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