As the college football calendar flips to 2026, two programs with high expectations but turbulent seasons - No. 13 Texas and No.
18 Michigan - will close out their year in the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday in Orlando. And while the game won’t have Playoff implications, it’s anything but meaningless for two proud teams looking to end the year on their terms.
Texas: A Playoff-Caliber Team on the Outside Looking In
Let’s start with Texas, a team that felt it had done enough to earn a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Head coach Steve Sarkisian didn’t hold back after the Longhorns’ 27-17 win over then-No.
3 Texas A&M on Nov. 28, making a vocal case for his team’s inclusion. He pointed to three top-10 wins and a narrow season-opening loss to then-No.
3 Ohio State. Sark even hinted at cutting the Buckeyes from future schedules out of frustration.
But in the end, an early October loss to Florida proved too costly. And instead of a Playoff berth, Texas found itself headed to Orlando - a solid bowl, sure, but not the stage Sarkisian or his players had envisioned.
Still, the Longhorns aren’t coming in flat. There’s real motivation to prove they belonged in the postseason’s upper tier.
“A lot of the other guys see it as a chance to compete, prove ourselves,” said guard Luke Hutson. “Especially being in [the CFP] last year, not being in this year, we get a chance to prove the committee wrong.”
That chip-on-the-shoulder energy could be a driving force, but Texas will have to do it with a reshuffled roster. More than a dozen players have opted out, including four running backs who hit the transfer portal. Leading rusher Quintrevion Wisner (597 yards) joined CJ Baxter, Jerrick Gibson, and Rickey Stewart Jr. in exiting the program.
That leaves the backfield duties to a pair of freshmen: Christian Clark (131 yards, 1 TD) and James Simon (122 yards). It’s a big spotlight for two young backs, but also a golden opportunity to make their mark heading into the offseason.
Defensively, Texas will be without All-American safety Michael Taaffe (70 tackles), who’s preparing for the NFL Draft. Linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. (69 tackles) and Liona Lefau (69 tackles) are also out - Hill declared for the draft, while Lefau entered the portal.
But there’s continuity at the most important position. Quarterback Arch Manning confirmed he’ll return in 2026, and he’s coming off a season that showed real growth: 2,942 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, seven interceptions, plus eight rushing scores.
“I felt like I developed a lot this year, especially toward the back half,” Manning said. “I want to keep it going.
There’s no reason to leave. I think I’ve got a lot more football left to play, and I’m excited to still be a part of this team.”
Michigan: A Program in Turmoil, Searching for Stability
If Texas is trying to prove the committee wrong, Michigan is trying to hold things together.
The Wolverines’ season took a shocking turn earlier this month when head coach Sherrone Moore was fired and arrested following an improper relationship with a female staffer. The fallout was swift and severe: Moore was charged with felony home invasion and two misdemeanors - stalking and breaking and entering - after allegedly confronting the woman at her home following his dismissal on Dec. 10.
The incident rocked the program. Interim head coach Biff Poggi is leading the team in the Citrus Bowl, while newly hired Kyle Whittingham - introduced just Sunday - begins the massive task of steadying the ship.
“I was kind of stunned for a while,” said linebacker Cole Sullivan. “I didn’t know what to think.
But at the end of the day, we’re still the same team. One person doesn’t define who we are.”
Whittingham is already working to prevent a mass exodus, including a meeting with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class. Underwood has shown flashes of promise this season, throwing for 2,229 yards and nine touchdowns (with six interceptions) and rushing for five more scores.
Despite the chaos, Underwood is locked in on the Citrus Bowl.
“Playing football is our fun,” he said. “Us playing our game, and in any way possible we can be good, that’s what we’ll do.”
But like Texas, Michigan will be missing several key contributors. Defensive end Derrick Moore (10 sacks), linebacker Jaishawn Barham (10 tackles for loss), and guard Giovanni El-Hadl have all opted out.
Linebacker Ernest Hausmann (68 tackles) wasn’t in Orlando over the weekend, and his status remains uncertain. Running back Justice Haynes - the team’s top rusher with 857 yards and 10 touchdowns - is dealing with a foot injury.
Two Teams, One Statement Game
Both programs enter this bowl game with something to prove. For Texas, it’s about showing the Playoff committee they got it wrong. For Michigan, it’s about resilience - proving the team is bigger than any one person, even in the face of scandal and uncertainty.
And while the rosters may look different than they did a month ago, the stakes are still real. Momentum matters in college football, especially with the transfer portal and NFL Draft looming. A strong finish can set the tone for a critical offseason.
Texas has history on its side, having won both previous meetings against Michigan - including a 31-12 win last season in Ann Arbor. But in a season where nothing has come easy for either team, expect a hard-fought battle in Orlando.
The Citrus Bowl may not be the final stop either program envisioned, but it’s a meaningful stage nonetheless. And for two teams trying to close the book on a chaotic 2025, it’s a chance to end with clarity, pride, and maybe a little bit of redemption.