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Everything to Know About Michigan’s 2024 Football Schedule
Hail to the victors valiant and all that, but can the champs repeat?
You’d think life would get easier when you’re the defending College Football National Champions, but there’s no relaxing this season for the ninth-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines. Not with the looks of their 2024 football schedule, which includes four games against preseason AP Top 25 teams.
Of course, losing your head coach (Jim Harbaugh) and starting quarterback (2023’s Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, J.J. McCarthy) doesn’t help. And neither does losing every one of your starting offensive linemen to the NFL. So it’ll be up to new head coach Sherrone Moore to try and replace Harbaugh, who exited for an NFL coaching position with the San Diego Chargers, and for new starting QB Alex Orji to try and fill McCarthy’s big shoes. But hey, when you’re one of the top college football programs in the land, you have lots of talent coming in.
With a newly configured Big Ten Conference and some tough non-conference games to boot, the Wolverines are certainly going to need all that talent to come together. If the Maize and Blue are going to find themselves in the newly expanded College Football Playoff, they’re going to have to come correct week in and week out, starting August 31 versus an upset-minded Fresno State squad.
Let’s take a full look at the Michigan 2024 football schedule, starting against Fresno State on Big Ten Saturday Night on NBC and Peacock!
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The University of Michigan Wolverines' 2024 Football Schedule
- Fresno State (August 31)
- Texas (September 7)
- Arkansas State (September 14)
- USC (September 21)
- Minnesota (September 28)
- at Washington (October 5)
- Idle (October 12)
- at Illinois (October 19)
- Michigan State (October 26)
- Oregon (November 2)
- at Indiana (November 9)
- Idle (November 16)
- Northwestern (November 23)
- at Ohio State (November 30)
What to Know About the Michigan Wolverines' 2024 Football Schedule
Fresno State (Home)
On Saturday, August 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, the Wolverines begin their title defense at their home field of Michigan Stadium (aka The Big House) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which seats a whopping 107,601 people. Odds are good the place will packed and there won’t be much actual sitting going on as the Wolverines face the Bulldogs, who are currently a 21.5 point under(bull)dog.
Texas (Home)
On Saturday, September 7 at 12:00 p.m. ET, the Wolverines welcome No. 4 Texas to the Big House in what’s sure to be an instant classic. After a tough semi-final loss to Washington in last year’s College Football Playoff, the Longhorns – under Head coach Steve Sarkisian and led by not one but two stud quarterbacks, Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning (Peyton and Eli Manning’s nephew) – are back with a fire in their proverbial bellies (mmm, steer belly).
Arkansas State (Home)
On Saturday, September 14 at 12:00 p.m. ET, the Arkansas State Red Wolves, have a date with disaster at the Big House. Hey, it’s tough out there for a smaller conference team, particularly against a power conference player like Michigan, and the Red Wolves aren’t even favored to win their own Sun Belt conference this year, so the math isn’t exactly in their favor.
USC (Home)
On Saturday, September 21 at 3:30 p.m. ET, Michigan’s Big Ten Conference play kicks into high gear with some newcomers to the conference, but old hats as far as being CFP contenders. The No. 23 ranked University of Southern California Trojans are making a tough trip to the Big House, hoping to upend the home team behind head coach Lincoln Riley and new starter Miller Moss, a backup for the last three seasons.
RELATED: Where Are All the Big Ten Conference College Schools Located?
Minnesota (Home)
On Saturday, September 28 at a to-be-determined time, the Wolverines play yet another home game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, another Big Ten foe (albeit one who’s been in the conference since the get-go). The Gophers are led by eighth-year coach P.J. Fleck, who’s returning after a 6-7 record in the 2023 season, so there’s much to improve on. Hopes are high that a new quarterback, New Hampshire transfer Max Brosmer, can be the spark the offense needs to regain their winning footing.
Washington (Away)
On Saturday, October 5 at a to-be-determined time, the Michigan Wolverines finally play a road game, and it’s going to be a tough one against last year’s National Championship Runner-up, the Washington Huskies, another newcomer to the Big Ten. Traveling to Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington will be quite the trek, but at least the Wolverines can expect to face a severely depleted squad, as the Huskies lost head coach Kalen DeBoer to Alabama, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to the Seattle Seahawks, and 24 of 32 of their players who logged at least 300 snaps last year. But new head coach Jedd Fisch has had success with Arizona, and he’s added some nice transfer portal additions, so expect the matchup to be anything but easy.
Illinois (Away)
On Saturday, October 19 at a to-be-determined time, the Wolverines face the Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois. Though they’ve come up on the losing side 11 of the last 12 seasons, Bret Bielema’s Fighting Illini still have some fight in ‘em, particularly their very stout run defense. That said, starting quarterback Luke Altmyer and company may not need to score a ton of points to stay in games.
Michigan State (Home)
On Saturday, October 26 at a to-be-determined time, the Wolverines return home to face their cross-state rivals: the Michigan State Spartans. First-year head coach Jonathan Smith (formerly of Oregon State) is hoping to right the Spartan ship after last year’s 4-8 season, with new quarterback Aidan Chiles as well as 22 other transfers infusing fresh blood.
Oregon (Home)
On Saturday, November 2 at a to-be-determined time, the No. 3 ranked Oregon Ducks travel to Michigan Stadium for what’s sure to be one of the bigger football games of the season. Another 2024 Pac-12 transfer to the Big Ten (along with USC, Washington, and UCLA), the Ducks are flying high under third-year coach Dan Lanning, thanks to some exciting transfer portal additions, like Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who’s going to have to do some serious gunslinging to make Ducks fans forget that last year’s starter Bo Nix is now wearing orange and blue as the Denver Broncos starting QB.
Indiana (Away)
On Saturday, November 9 at a to-be-determined time, the Wolverines head to Bloomington, Indiana to face the University of Indiana Hoosiers. After a 3-9 season in 2023, the Hoosiers are starting fresh with first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, who left his post at James Madison for the bright lights of the Big Ten. Via the transfer portal, he's bringing with him 12 of his players from James Madison, including nine projected starters. They're sure to be tested by the blue chippers in the Maize and Blue, though.
Northwestern (Home)
On Saturday, November 23 at a to-be-determined time, the Northwestern Wildcats visit Ann Arbor for a date with the Wolverines on Senior Day, which always gives the home team an extra edge. And the Wolverines are going to need it, too, what with second-year head coach David Braun looking to best his team's surprising 2023 success, having gone 8-5 including a win in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Ohio State (Away)
On Saturday, November 30 at high noon, the Wolverines travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on their biggest rival, the No. 2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. It's been three years since the Buckeyes have beaten the Wolverines and claimed the Big Ten Championship, so you can bet head coach Ryan Day and company will be extra fired up entering both team's final regular season game.
Keep up with the Big Ten Saturday Night action airing on NBC and Peacock this season, beginning with defending champion Michigan hosting Fresno State on August 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
