Michigan basketball’s title defense has a map now, and it’s loaded with heavy hitters from the jump.
The Wolverines unveiled their full 2026-27 schedule on Wednesday, Sept. 16, after Big Ten Network teased the league’s slates in a special segment. For Michigan, the first season with coach Mike Boynton Jr. brings an opening month packed with exhibition intrigue and a nonconference stretch that wastes no time testing the defending champs.
October begins with two exhibitions at home: Eastern Michigan on Oct. 11 and Oregon State on Oct. 16.
The matchup with the Beavers carries an extra layer, since Oregon State is led by former U-M assistant coach Justin Joyner. Michigan then meets Houston in Grand Rapids on Oct.
The nonconference slate keeps escalating from there. Michigan faces Oakland on Nov. 2, then gets UConn in Boston on Nov. 6 in a national championship rematch.
Marquette comes to Ann Arbor on Nov. 11, William & Mary follows on Nov. 15, and Villanova awaits in Philadelphia on Nov.
- The Wolverines then head to Las Vegas for a demanding run that starts with Creighton on Nov. 24 before games against Miami or TCU on Nov. 26 and Gonzaga, Kansas State, Baylor or Alabama on Nov.
- If Michigan reaches the title game, it would play again on Nov. 28 against one of Tennessee, Maryland, Iowa State, San Diego State, St.
John’s, Oregon, Louisville or Texas Tech.
Michigan closes out November and the first part of December with Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 1 and Louisville in Detroit on Dec. 5.
The first true road game doesn’t come until Dec. 9 at Rutgers, which also opens Big Ten play. After that, the Wolverines return home for Northwestern on Dec.
12, Detroit Mercy on Dec. 21 and Toledo on Dec. 30.
January brings a dense league grind. Washington visits on Jan. 2, then Michigan goes to Nebraska on Jan.
- Purdue comes to Crisler Center on Jan. 8, followed by Minnesota on Jan.
- The Wolverines then hit Indiana on Jan. 16 before home dates with Oregon on Jan. 19 and Ohio State on Jan.
- Between those, Michigan travels to USC on Jan. 23 and UCLA on Jan. 26 for its West Coast swing.
The back half of February is where the schedule really tightens. Michigan visits Wisconsin on Feb. 6 and hosts Illinois on Feb. 9 before seeing Michigan State for the first time on Feb. 13 in Ann Arbor.
The Spartans return the trip on Feb. 26, giving the rivals two meetings in a 13-day span. In between, Michigan goes to Minnesota on Feb. 16, hosts Iowa on Feb. 20 and plays at Penn State on Feb.
The closing stretch is rough. Four of Michigan’s final six games are away from home: at Minnesota, at Penn State, at Michigan State and then at Ohio State on senior day in Columbus. Maryland comes to Ann Arbor on March 4 before the regular season ends at Ohio State on March 7.
From there, the Big Ten Tournament begins the next week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Michigan knows that building well; the Wolverines won the tournament there in 2024-25, during the first season under Dusty May, when the event was last held in Indy.
This team is expected to be one of the Big Ten’s best, and the talent pool is deep. Production is likely to come from Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, along with transfers Moustapha Thiam from Cincinnati, JP Estrella from Tennessee and Jalen Reed from LSU. Freshman McDonald’s All-American Quinn Costello is also part of the mix, and the Wolverines are expecting development from returners Quinn Costello and Ricky Liburd.
Michigan may also learn this week whether Roddy Gayle Jr. will be granted permission from the courts to return for a fifth season. And one major piece is already unavailable: freshman Brandon McCoy Jr., a projected top-20 NBA Draft pick, is out for the season after tearing his ACL during the team’s trip to Europe last month.
Michigan basketball schedule for 2026-27
Oct. 11: vs Eastern Michigan (exhibition) tip time and tv channel TBA
Oct. 16: vs. Oregon State (exhibition) tip time and tv channel TBA
Oct. 25: vs. Houston (exhibition in Grand Rapids), tip time and tv channel TBA
Nov. 2: vs. Oakland, tip time and tv channel TBA
Nov. 6: vs. UConn (TD Garden, Boston) tip time and tv channel TBA
Nov 11: vs. Marquette, tip time and tv channel TBA
Nov. 15: vs. William & Mary, tip time and tv channel TBA
Nov. 21: vs. Villanova (Xfinitiy Mobile Arena, Philadelphia), tip time and tv channel TBA
Nov. 24: vs. Creighton (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas), 5:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Nov. 26: vs. Miami or TCU (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas) 3:30 p.m. or 9 p.m., ESPN
Nov. 27: vs. Gonzaga/Kansas State/Baylor/Alabama (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas), tip time TBD, ESPN
Nov. 28: (if qualified for title game) vs. Tennessee/Maryland/Iowa State/San Diego State/St. John’s/Oregon/Louisville/Texas Tech (T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas), 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Dec. 1: vs. Mississippi Valley State, tip time and tv channel TBA
Dec. 5: vs. Louisville (Little Caesars Arena, Detroit)
Dec. 9: at Rutgers, tip time and tv channel TBA
Dec. 12: vs. Northwestern, tip time and tv channel TBA
Dec. 21: vs. Detroit Mercy, tip time and tv channel TBA
Dec. 30: vs. Toledo, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 2: vs. Washington, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 5: at Nebraska, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 8, vs. Purdue, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 12: vs. Minnesota, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 16: at Indiana, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 19: vs. Oregon, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 23: at USC, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 26: at UCLA, tip time and tv channel TBA
Jan. 30: vs. Ohio State, tip time and tv channel TBA
Feb. 6: at Wisconsin, tip time and tv channel TBA
Feb. 9: vs. Illinois, tip time and tv channel TBA
Feb. 13: vs. Michigan State, tip time and tv channel TBA
Feb. 16: at Minnesota, tip time and tv channel TBA
Feb. 20: vs. Iowa, tip time and tv channel TBA
Feb. 23: at Penn State, tip time and tv channel TBA
Feb. 26: at Michigan State, tip time and tv channel TBA
March 4: vs. Maryland, tip time and tv channel TBA
March 7: at Ohio State, tip time and tv channel TBA
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