Two of the top programs in the two top conferences do battle in the Citrus Bowl, as the Michigan Wolverines take on the Texas Longhorns. Here are three Longhorns that Michigan must game plan for in order to end the season with a win.
QB Arch Manning
Every football fan knows the Manning name. Arch’s expectations are as high as any prospect in the history of the game because of his Super Bowl winning uncles, Peyton and Eli, and grandfather, Archie.
Coming out of high school in 2023, he was the No. 1 overall recruit
in the country, but 2025 was his first season as the starter. When he fully took over, he got the rude awakening of playing Ohio State in Columbus in his first start of the year.
His performance was subpar, and questions started circulating about how he’s been hyped vs. his overall talent. It felt like that crossed over through the first couple weeks. That was further amplified in a loss to Florida where he completed only 55.2 percent of his passes and threw two interceptions.
But down the stretch, Texas went 6-1 thanks to improved play from Manning. His completions percentage evened out of 62 percent while accumulating more than 1,800 yards and 18 total touchdowns. He only turned the ball over twice in that stretch while beating Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
The Arch Manning that shows up after about a month of rest will be telling for this game. Michigan will be without its two best pass rushers in Derrick Moore and Jaishawn Barham, who opted out. If the Wolverines struggle to get pressure on Manning, it could be a long day.
WR Ryan Wingo
The Michigan secondary has gone another year searching for a true No. 1 corner. Zeke Berry is likely the closest, but the consistency hasn’t been great enough for him, Jyaire Hill or anyone else to be the lockdown corner the Wolverines need.
That could come into play yet again with Ryan Wingo. He’s Manning’s favorite target and has elite speed akin to some of the receivers that have come out of Austin over the last couple of seasons.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder racked up 50 catches for 770 yards and seven touchdowns, making him among the elites in college football. An All-SEC second-teamer, Wingo’s best game came in a shootout against Mississippi State where he had five receptions for 184 yards.
If the Wolverines aren’t careful and don’t have some help from safeties over the top, the Manning-Wingo connection could cause some real problems.
S Jelani McDonald
Texas is going to be without some key defensive players, including two of its three leading tacklers. The secondary is a little ravaged, as cornerback Malik Muhammad and safety Michael Taaffe have opted out.
That leaves Jelani McDonald as perhaps the most important player not only in the secondary, but the entire defense. He’s going to be tasked with helping inexperienced corners over the top while also patrolling the middle of the defense without another starting safety to assist.
McDonald led the team in tackles while also picking off three passes this year. As Bryce Underwood continues to develop, this contest against a good defense will be another stepping stone for him. McDonald is exactly the kind of veteran player who can flip this game with a turnover or knocking the ball away down the field.
