The No. 18 Michigan Wolverines (9-3) will take on the No. 13 Texas Longhorns (9-3) in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31, 2025 (3 p.m., ABC) in Orlando, Florida. Despite a disappointing finish to a promising season for both programs, Michigan and Texas elected to play in the bowl matchup, giving fans an exciting non-CFP matchup that could live up to the hype.
It has already been a whirlwind of a week in College Football with the CFP committee choosing Miami over Notre Dame, which then resulted in the Fighting
Irish electing to not play in a bowl altogether. That created a ripple effect across the sport, leading to multiple programs choosing to not compete in a bowl game. With uncertainty around non-CFP matchups going forward, the Citrus Bowl has received a lot of positive attention from the national media for not only the matchup itself, but for both teams’ willingness to compete.
Here is what the national media is saying about the game.
The Athletic
After putting together a projection roundup over the last several weeks, The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman reacted to the Citrus Bowl draw with excitement. When ranking the top non-CFP bowl games, The Athletic ranked the Citrus Bowl second behind the ReliaQuest Bowl matchup of Iowa vs. Vanderbilt.
Dochterman reacted by saying, “Now this is how you make a bowl game relevant. Two traditional powerhouses and iconic brands with young quarterbacks on the rise playing directly before a CFP quarterfinal…The game will propel the winner into an offseason of hype and a guaranteed high preseason ranking next August.”
He is not wrong. As was the case with Ohio State and Texas this year, the preseason rankings are largely based on the conclusion of the previous season, and a Top-20 matchup to finish the season could help both Michigan and Texas’ national reputation heading into the offseason.
A win would most likely put Michigan into a Top-15 starting place for 2026, while a loss may push the Wolverines into the 20s.
CBS Sports
CBS Sports was similarly excited by the draw. Brad Crawford reacted to the matchup with an acute focus on the quarterback matchup between Bryce Underwood and Arch Manning, calling it “one of bowl season’s top individual matchups between two talents who will eventually be playing on Sundays.”
Despite a VERY rough start to 2025, Manning threw 14 touchdowns and two interceptions in his final seven starts and finished the regular season with nearly 3,000 passing yards. Underwood had more variance across the season, finishing the year by completing 61 percent of his passes, along with nine touchdowns to six interceptions. A strong performance in the Citrus Bowl for either could jumpstart a Heisman Trophy campaign for 2026.
CBS Sports ranked the Citrus Bowl at No. 7 overall and No. 1 among non-CFP games in its bowl game rankings.
Yahoo Sports
In Yahoo Sports’ bowl rankings, the media outlet called the Citrus Bowl, “the best non-playoff bowl game of the season.”
Coming in at No. 5 overall, Yahoo expects the matchup between the two storied programs to live up to the hype. They specifically mention how Manning’s improvement over the season should prepare him for Michigan’s defense, while Underwood’s has another chance to refine his talent against a blue-blood team before embarking on his first offseason as a starting college quarterback.
Final Thoughts
The Citrus Bowl may not be what either program hoped for at the beginning of the season, but it offers an opportunity for both teams to learn and grow when facing a similarly-positioned program. With the expectation that Manning and Underwood return to their respective schools in 2026, this game will offer both quarterbacks a chance to perform well on a national stage and shape the narrative heading into next year.
With a lot on the line for both head coaches in an era where you need to win at the highest level to feel secure in your job, knocking off a top team would be a strong start to the offseason.
