ESPN SP+ Predicts Outcome of Major Week 2 Matchup Between Texas-Michigan

Week 2 of the college football season will treat fans to a matchup that is typically reserved for the College Football Playoff.

The No. 3 Texas Longhorns are heading up to Ann Arbor to take on the No. 10 Michigan Wolverines. A meeting between two teams that each made the College Football Playoff in 2023, with Michigan being the last team standing.

While Michigan is still early into its title defense, they are the underdogs in this one. ESPN has Texas favored by 7.5, some analysts think Texas will handle them easily and ESPN’s SP+ has officially projected Texas as the winner.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his model’s predictions for Week 2, and has the Longhorns winning in a close one.

The model projects that Texas will win by a score of 28-21, and gives them a 66% chance of taking down the defending champs.

 

Despite these programs being as historically important to college football as they come, they have only crossed paths once. The two met in the 2004 Rose Bowl, where Vince Young led Texas to a 38-37 victory.

 

While that matchup featured two proven teams headlined by NFL-caliber quarterbacks going at it, this year’s meeting is a bit different. Following their title win in 2023, Michigan lost their star quarterback, entire offensive line, star running back and some key players on defense as well.

The Wolverines went from starting a first-round pick at quarterback, to having a former walk-on behind center.

As for Texas, they return one of the best quarterbacks in college football, Quinn Ewers, who has a stable of new receivers to throw to.

The game will be featured on Saturday’s edition of Fox Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff.”