Michigan football schedule 2024: 2 CFP teams, juicy home slate in expanded Big Ten
Michigan football is the 2023 national champion, but let's look ahead to its 2024 schedule.
Michigan steamrolled through 2023 for a perfect 15-0 season and another piece of hardware to add to the trophy case in the final year of the four-team playoff era. Next season, Michigan will try to start the 12-team playoff era in the same manner despite a tougher schedule — on paper — thanks to the expanded Big Ten conference and a nonconference date with a 2023 CFP semifinalist. The Wolverines do have eight home games against four road games.
Michigan takes on Texas, which fell to Washington in the semifinals and joins the SEC, at home in Week 2.
Michigan will also have a national championship rematch at Washington, which joins the Big Ten along with USC, UCLA and Oregon.
The Wolverines will play two more of the West Coast teams, USC and Oregon, at the Big House, along with protected rivalry games with Michigan State and Ohio State as a part of the new "Flex Protect Plus" nine-game conference schedule.
Since the Labor Day holiday marks the official start of Week 1 in college football, there will be 14 Saturdays between the start of the season and the final week at the end of November, meaning Michigan will have two bye weeks on its schedule.
MORE: Big Ten 2024 football schedules for every team
Here is a breakdown of the Wolverines' schedule in 2024. All dates are finalized but kickoff times are still to be announced.
Michigan football 2024 schedule
Week 1, Aug. 31: vs. Fresno State
Week 2, Sept. 7: vs. Texas
Week 3, Sept. 14: vs. Arkansas State
Week 4, Sept. 21: vs. USC*
Week 5, Sept. 28: vs. Minnesota*
Week 6, Oct. 5: at Washington*
Week 7: BYE
Week 8, Oct. 19: at Illinois*
Week 9, Oct. 26: vs. Michigan State*
Week 10, Nov. 2: vs. Oregon*
Week 11, Nov. 9: at Indiana*
Week 12: BYE
Week 13, Nov. 23: vs. Northwestern*
Week 14, Nov. 30: at Ohio State*
Big Ten championship game, Dec. 7: TBA, Indianapolis
*Big Ten Conference game
Michigan fans! Celebrate the national title with our two commemorative books: "Blue Reign: The Story of the 2023 Michigan Wolverines' Legendary Run to the National Championship" and "Maize & Grand: Michigan’s Epic March to the 2023 National Title" — Preorder now to save! You can also buy a commemorative copy of the front page of the Detroit Free Press from the morning after U-M's historic championship victory, and purchase our four-page special Stadium Section.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football 2024 schedule: Big Ten expansion means juicy slate
