The Michigan Wolverines and Central Michigan Chippewas will renew their in-state rivalry twice in the near future. Announced by the university on Thursday, the Wolverines will play the Chippewas on Sept. 2, 2028, and Aug. 30, 2031, with both matchups taking place at The Big House.
The future matchups will continue what has been a one-sided series in favor of the Wolverines. Michigan is 5-0 all-time against CMU, with every meeting between the programs
taking place in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have outscored the Chippewas 235-36 across those five games.
The most recent meeting came just this past season, as Michigan dominated CMU, 63-3. The Wolverines jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter and led 35-3 at halftime before adding 28 more points in the second half. Quarterback Bryce Underwood was one of the biggest highlights of the afternoon, as he threw for 235 yards and a touchdown while adding 114 rushing yards and two touchdowns to help Michigan go for more than 600 yards of total offense.
The matchup last year was the first between the schools since 2013. Michigan won that meeting, 59-9, continuing a streak that dates all the way back to the first matchup in 1931. The Wolverines also defeated the Chippewas 41-17 in 2006 and 45-7 in 2003.
The future games give Michigan another opportunity to schedule an in-state opponent as part of its non-conference slate. With the Big Ten expanding to include more challenging opponents like Oregon and USC, non-conference scheduling has become increasingly important as programs attempt to balance marquee matchups with regional games that can provide an early-season test.
What do you think of this news? Do you care? Do you like seeing the Wolverines take on in-state MAC opponents? Let us know down in the comments section below!
