This holiday season, two of college football’s oldest and most storied blue-blood programs will converge in Orlando for the Cheez-It Citrus and Pop-Tarts bowls.

No. 13 Texas (11-1, 7-1 SEC) and No. 18 Michigan (9-3, 7-2 Big Ten) will meet for just the third time when the two teams face off at Camping World Stadium on Dec. 31 (3 p.m., ABC).

The two programs have combined for 16 national championships and five Heisman Trophy winners.

Texas traveled to Ann Arbor last season, coming away with a 31-12 win over the Wolverines on Sept. 7. Before that meeting, the two programs clashed in the 2004 Rose Bowl, with the Longhorns once again prevailing 38-37 on Jan. 1, 2005.

This would be the first time a Texas team has played in a postseason game in Orlando. The Longhorns outlasted UCF 35-32 in the inaugural match at Bounce House Stadium on Sept. 15, 2007.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning has a familiar tie to the game, as his uncle, Peyton, played in the Citrus Bowl as the quarterback at Tennessee in 1995 and 1996.

Meanwhile, this is Michigan’s seventh Citrus Bowl appearance, but the first since a 35-16 loss to Alabama on Jan. 1, 2019. The Wolverines hold a 4-2 overall mark at Camping World Stadium.

This is the 80th year for the Citrus Bowl, which began on Jan. 1, 1947.

The Pop-Tarts Bowl lineup wasn’t available at press time.

USF and Old Dominion are set to face off in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium on Dec. 17 (5 p.m., ESPN).

It’s the first appearance by both programs in the bowl game.

South Florida (9-3, 6-2 American) spent five weeks in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, climbing as high as No. 18 before finishing fourth in the American Conference. The team is currently at No. 24 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

Kevin Patrick took over as interim coach at USF after Alex Golesh left to take the head coaching job at Auburn on Nov. 30.

ODU (9-3, 6-2 Sun Belt) finished as runners-up in the East Division to James Madison. It’s the second bowl appearance in the past three seasons for the Monarchs, who have won five straight games to finish out the regular season.

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/12/07/michigan-texas-set-to-appear-in-cheez-it-bowl/