If the current College Football Playoff rankings hold when the field is finalized, the Texas Longhorns (9-3) look set to cap their season in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, taking on the Michigan Wolverines (9-3) on December 31 in Orlando, Florida.
The Citrus Bowl traditionally selects the highest-ranked teams from the SEC and Big Ten that don’t make the 12-team College Football Playoff field. Based on the latest committee standings, that would put No. 13 Texas and No. 19 Michigan in line for the New Year’s Eve matchup at Camping World Stadium, with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. Central Time.
For the Longhorns, this game represents a strong finish after narrowly missing out on a CFP berth despite a 9-3 record. Texas opened the season with high expectations and some notable wins, including an upset over Texas A&M late in the year — but losses to teams like Georgia ultimately kept them outside of playoff contention.
On the other sideline, Michigan also finished 9-3 and will represent the Big Ten in Orlando. The Wolverines have had their own share of ups and downs this season but will bring a competitive squad into this intersectional bowl matchup.
With both programs boasting rich football traditions, the Citrus Bowl promises an exciting bowl-season clash that should draw interest from fans of both teams and college football followers everywhere.