Michigan’s 2025-26 schedule is official with the unveiling of the Big Ten schedule today.
Weekend home games are among the most valuable assets in the schedule draw, and Michigan drew some good ones. The Wolverines host Wisconsin, UCLA, and Michigan State on Saturdays or Sundays, and also have a Friday night rivalry home game against Ohio State.
Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about Michigan’s schedule, its most challenging stretches, and its worst travel.
1. There’s an on-ramp to grow into the conference race
Michigan’s December games are against Rutgers and at Maryland (with a home game against Villanova sandwiched in between). That’s a relatively manageable draw for early conference play.
The Scarlet Knights are projected to be one of the two worst teams in the league, and Maryland will be playing just its second Big Ten game under new head coach Buzz Williams.
When league play resumes in January, it is still manageable. The Wolverines start back up against USC on January 2nd — the Trojans will have the advantage of coast-to-coast travel during the holidays, similar to Michigan last year — and play at Penn State and host Wisconsin before heading West.
Michigan’s week on the West Coast starts with games at Washington (Jan. 14) and Oregon (Jan. 17). The Wolverines don’t get any extended time off after the trip, but they are rewarded with a three-game homestand against Indiana, Ohio State, and Nebraska.
All in all, five of Michigan’s first eight games in January are at home. Of the first 10 games of the conference slate, only Oregon and Wisconsin are likely to be picked in the top six or seven spots in the conference.
If Michigan wants to win the league, it will need to make hay early in the schedule.
2. Mid-February is a season-defining stretch
In one week in February, Michigan will face three preseason top-15 teams: UCLA at Crisler on Valentine’s Day (where else would Mick Cronin rather be?), Purdue at Mackey on Tuesday, and then Duke in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.
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