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Texas-Michigan series schedule reportedly ‘flipped’ as part of SEC deal
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Texas’ upcoming series with Michigan has reportedly been altered as part of the deal to get the school (and Oklahoma) out of the Big 12 and into the SEC in 2024.
Texas and Michigan will play in 2024 and 2027. The order has been flipped, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, so that the 2024 game is now in Ann Arbor.
The location of the 2024 game was a big deal to FOX. As a Michigan home game, the Longhorns and Wolverines will be broadcast on FOX. The 2024 season is the first of the SEC’s new TV deal with ESPN, replacing CBS. Without the flip in scheduling, ESPN would have had the broadcasting rights to a 2024 Texas home game. The flip allows FOX to cash in on having a Texas game in 2024 despite the Longhorns’ move to the SEC.
FOX and ESPN have been involved in the negotiations for Texas and Oklahoma to leave the Big 12 early to join the SEC. It was announced Thursday that the move will now happen in July 2024. The early exit will be covered by the Big 12 withholding $100 million in distributed revenues to the 2 schools.
Sources: A key part of the deal to let OU and Texas out of Big 12 early was a game flip of a non-conference match-up between Michigan and Texas. Texas will now visit Michigan in 2024 in Ann Arbor and Michigan will return the game in Austin in 2027. They’d been scheduled opposite.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 10, 2023
That game flip was a key driver for Fox agreeing to this deal to let Oklahoma and Texas out of the Big 12 a year early.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 10, 2023
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
