Texas Opens as Favorites Ahead of Week 2 Clash with Michigan

Following its lopsided 52-0 victory over Colorado State. at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday, No. 4 Texas is riding high in anticipation of its long-awaited visit to “The Big House” to play Michigan in the first regular season matchup ever between the two storied programs.

On the other hand, the Wolverines weren't close to 100% in a 30-10 victory over Fresno State at home, in which the defending national champions outgained the unranked Bulldogs by a mere 25 yards.

The new-look Michigan offense without a definitive starting quarterback looked sluggish early on, scoring only ten points, seven of which came via a 31-yard touchdown drive on a short field due to a Fresno State interception.

Related: No. 4 Texas Secures Win Over Colorado State In Dominant Fashion

Starting quarterback Davis Warren, a senior out of Los Angeles, had only completed five passes at the collegiate level before Saturday’s win and looked less than convincing, especially on anything beyond simple check-downs.

The Bulldogs were able to dream of a historic upset well into the fourth quarter after junior signal caller Mikey Keene found junior Raylen Sharpe in ample space on an out route, allowing the Allen, Texas, native to go untouched into the end zone to cut the Wolverine lead to just six with ten minutes to go.

Michigan would pull away on the next two series, however, as Keene led a 75-yard drive down the field in its longest drive of the day. Fresno State would respond with a lengthy drive of its own down to the Michigan ten-yard line before Will Johnson jumped a bubble screen for a game-sealing 86-yard pick-six.

Following the discrepancy between the Longhorns and Wolverines’ performances and Michigan losing 13 players to the 2024 NFL Draft and its head coach, it should be no surprise that Texas is now a 6.5-point favorite ahead of its visit to Ann Arbor, per SportsLine consensus.

Related: WATCH: Texas QB Quinn Ewers and WR Isaiah Bond Connect For 7-Yard Touchdown

This non-conference battle of blue blood programs will be only the second time the schools have ever played. Many Texas fans will remember the first encounter, a 38-37 victory on a 37-yard field goal as time expired at the 2005 Rose Bowl, a year before the Longhorns would capture a national championship at the same site against USC.

The No. 9 Wolverines and No. 4 Longhorns will face off on Saturday morning at Michigan Stadium, the largest in the country. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.