The controversy became even more damaging when Michigan fell out of the AP Top 25 following the victory. Meanwhile, Oklahoma entered Saturday’s matchup ranked No. 11 after opening the season with a dominant 51-0 victory over UTEP. That has made the meeting at Michigan Stadium one of the most important early-season games for the Wolverines and their College Football Playoff aspirations.

Michigan therefore faces three very different possibilities against Oklahoma. A win would immediately change the national conversation and give the Wolverines the kind of quality victory their résumé desperately needs, while a loss could put their CFP hopes under serious pressure before conference play really gets going. A tie would create an even stranger situation, leaving Michigan unbeaten but without the kind of result it needs to restore confidence.

What happens if Michigan loses today against Oklahoma?

A loss would be the most damaging outcome for Michigan, particularly because of what happened against Western Michigan. The Wolverines would fall to 1-1 after escaping their Week 1 matchup, and the Oklahoma defeat would reinforce the concerns that they are not yet ready to compete with the nation’s elite. Losing to the No. 11 Sooners would not eliminate Michigan from CFP contention in September, but it would leave very little margin for error.

The biggest problem would be the quality of Michigan’s résumé. The Western Michigan victory already carries unusual baggage because of the controversial ending, and losing its first major test would mean the Wolverines would have to build their playoff case almost entirely through Big Ten play. A 1-1 start would also make future losses considerably more damaging, especially if Michigan struggles against other ranked opponents.

The ranking implications would also be significant. Michigan is already outside the AP Top 25, so another defeat would likely keep the Wolverines well outside the rankings and could cause them to disappear from consideration for a significant stretch of the season. The CFP selection committee does not simply follow the AP rankings, but a 1-1 Michigan team with a controversial victory and a loss to a ranked Oklahoma squad would have a difficult early résumé to sell.

What happens if Michigan beats Oklahoma today?

A Michigan victory would completely change the narrative surrounding the Wolverines. After the controversy against Western Michigan, beating a team that entered the weekend ranked No. 11 would give Michigan its first legitimate signature win of the season and immediately strengthen its CFP résumé. More importantly, it would demonstrate that the Wolverines can compete with a nationally respected opponent when the stakes are much higher.

The ranking impact could be substantial. Michigan began the season with national expectations but dropped out of the AP Top 25 after the Western Michigan game, so a win over Oklahoma would likely send the Wolverines back into the rankings. The size of the jump would depend on how impressive the victory is and what happens elsewhere in the country, but Michigan would have a compelling argument for returning quickly.

For the College Football Playoff, this is the result Michigan desperately needs. The controversy surrounding Western Michigan would not disappear, but a victory over Oklahoma would give the Wolverines something much more important: a high-quality win that can carry real weight later in the season. If Michigan follows it with a strong Big Ten campaign, the Oklahoma victory could become one of the foundational pieces of a legitimate CFP résumé.

What happens if Michigan ties with Oklahoma?

If Michigan and Oklahoma are tied at the end of regulation, the game would not finish as a tie. Instead, the Wolverines and Sooners would go to overtime, where each team gets an opportunity to score from the opponent’s 25-yard line. The process continues until one team wins the game, meaning Michigan’s ranking and College Football Playoff situation would ultimately be determined by the overtime result.

Asked about the biggest controversy in Week 1 of the NCAA campaign, Michigan‘s last-second Hail Mary victory over Western Michigan in Ann Arbor, Sarkisian delivered a sincere, confused answer that only expressed concern about the Big Ten officiating crew responsible for adding one second to the clock and allowing the miraculous touchdown catch.

“I still don’t understand or get the final ruling of it all,” Sarkisian said about the controversial call, via On Texas Football. “Unfortunate for Western Michigan, to play their tails off the way that they did and to lose like that.

“I’ve lost a game on a Hail Mary before and that definitely sucks. I don’t know the exact ruling on the timing. There’s a lot of moving parts that I’m not going to pretend to know everything about. My biggest shock was that they stormed the field.”

Sarkisian’s comments mean more before Ohio State game

With the matchup against the Buckeyes looming on the immediate horizon, Sarkisian’s statement on the officiating crew carries much more weight. Hosting No. 1 Ohio State, there is a lot for No. 5 Texas to be anxious about.

Not only will the Longhorns be taking on whom Sarkisian considers to be the best wide receiver in college football in Jeremiah Smith, but they’ll also face a squad filled with five-star talents that defeated Texas and really made the Longhorns look bad last NCAA season.

In addition to it all, the game at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium will be officiated by a Big Ten crew. That means Sarkisian’s comments on Michigan’s controversial win also hide a dig at those who will be responsible for Texas’ fate next Saturday. By all looks of it, it sure feels like Sarkisian and the burnt orange are keeping their guards up.

Why is Big Ten officiating Ohio State at Texas?

This was agreed upon by both schools when they committed to the home-and-home series for the 2025 and 2026 college football seasons. It’s a common practice across the country for the visiting team’s conference to provide the officiating crew, and this is no different. In fact, it was an SEC officiating crew that was in charge last year when the Buckeyes defeated the Longhorns 14-7 in Week 1.

With that in mind, it’s reasonable to understand why the Buckeyes have decided to change their annual celebration of graduating seniors, even if students and fans themselves don’t agree with it.

As the Buckeyes announced their home-game themes for the upcoming 2026 NCAA football campaign, something caught the attention of fans. Football’s Senior Day will be celebrated in the home opener (Sept. 5) against the Ball State Cardinals, rather than the typical home finale against Michigan. In that sense, Ohio State is shying away from tradition.

Unusual change to schedule

Instead of honoring the senior classmen on the Buckeyes’ football roster in the last regular-season home game, this time they will be honored in the home opener against an inferior opponent, and with the rest of the season still ahead. Considering Ohio State’s recent struggles against Michigan at The Horseshoe, it’s hard not to believe that had something to do with it.

The Wolverines won the last two games in Columbus and boast a favorable 29-27-2 record when playing Ohio State on the road. Maybe the Buckeyes don’t want their despised rivals from Ann Arbor to ruin what’s supposed to be a celebratory day—once again. Losing “The Game” stings badly enough; doing so at home only hurts more, and tarnishing the seniors’ final home game may be too much to bear.

Throughout the years, Senior Day has been held during “The Game” regardless, but it seems the Buckeyes want to break the trend and will go to any length to do so. Fans, however, disapprove. “Quit messing with traditions. Senior Day belongs on Nov. 28th! Something special about it on The Game,” a Buckeyes fan said in response to the team’s post. “Senior Day Week 1 is a terrible idea,” another user chimed in.

Ohio State’s home-schedule and game themes

Ohio State will host seven regular season games at The Shoe, starting off with Senior Day against Ball State in the first weekend of September and wrapping it up against Michigan in “The Game” on Nov. 28th.

While Ohio State steered away from tradition with their changes to Senior Day and “The Game”, they still didn’t name Michigan. Instead, that remained the same, with the Buckeyes referring to the Ann-Arbor school as That Team Up North (TTUN).

Following the Wolverines’ latest title, RedditCFB noted on X: “Michigan is the first D1 school ever to win multiple National Championships in Football (1948, 1997, 2023), Baseball (1953, 1962), and Men’s Basketball (1989, 2026).”

However, the post left out another major piece of Michigan’s legacy. The school’s men’s ice hockey program has won nine national championships, more than any other Wolverine team, and remains one of the most successful in college sports, even though its last title came decades ago.

Basketball and baseball remain Michigan’s toughest paths to titles

For Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball, winning just a second national championship since 1908 highlights how difficult it has been for the program to reach the top, even with multiple runner-up finishes and frequent deep tournament runs. A similar story applies to Michigan Wolverines baseball, which hasn’t captured a national title in decades.

Over the past 13 seasons, Michigan’s baseball team has made five postseason appearances and won the Big Ten Conference title twice, once in 2015, marking the program’s ninth conference championship at the time, and again in 2022 with a 10-4 win over Rutgers baseball. Since then, the team has yet to return to the postseason.

While Michigan holds the distinction of being the only school with multiple national championships across several major men’s sports, University of Southern California still leads all Division I programs in total men’s titles with 85. Meanwhile, Stanford University tops the overall list with 129 championships, combining men’s (69) and women’s (60) programs.

“First of all, I want to thank all the people that poured into everyone in our locker room. We’re not here without the love, support and coaching from everybody before us,” May told Tracy Wolfson of CBS Sports following the NCAA Division I tournament final.

While emotion played a role, execution on the court was just as critical. May emphasized Michigan‘s balance throughout the season, noting their ability to respond when one phase struggled. “These guys have done it all year. When one side of the ball was letting us down, the other side picked us up,” he said.

May matches rare John Beilein-era feat with back-to-back elite seasons

Dusty May didn’t just win a national championship, he also accomplished something not seen since the John Beilein era, putting together consecutive standout seasons with Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball.

Beilein last achieved that between the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, highlighted by consistent success at the top of the conference. May has now mirrored that impact in his first two years, winning the conference tournament title in his debut season and following it up with both a regular-season conference championship and a national title.

Beilein left a lasting legacy at Michigan, and May has acknowledged that their connection continues to play a role behind the scenes. The former Wolverines head coach spent 12 years leading the program and reached two national championship games.

“We talk regularly. He’s always conscious about it—he knows when my off days are, he knows when to call. He’s sat in this seat, so he knows how many directions you’re being pulled,” May told On3. “I enjoy it every single time. He sends me texts, we talk, he sends great nuggets—just reminders of what to be looking out for.”

According to USA Today, May’s bonuses in the NCAA Tournament were as follows: $50,000 for appearing in the first round, $75,000 for reaching the second stage, $100,000 for making it to the Sweet Sixteen, $150,000 for their Elite Eight appearance, $200,000 for playing in the Final Four, $300,000 for qualifying to the national title game, and $400,000 for winning it all.

With the national title conquest, May bolstered his case to win the the National Coach of the Year award. Such an accomplishment would secure an extra $50,000 for May. Had Michigan lost against UConn, May would have taken home a $300,000 paycheck, missing out on the extra $100,000. It wasn’t like he would’ve had to pinch pennies, but his team’s triumph still secured him even more money.

Hurley misses out on a fortune

As for Hurley, had UConn defeated Michigan at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, he would’ve walked away with a whopping $1.275 million bonus. Even with the national title loss, Hurley is earning more in bonuses than May is for his historic conquest with the program in Ann Arbor.

Hurley has earned $775,000 thanks to the NCAA Tournament bonuses in his contract. Cutting down the nets of March Madness is priceless, but Hurley already knows how that feels, and securing $775,000 definitely makes the pain easier to withstand.

Hurley’s bonuses breakdown

Hurley’s contract bonuses are as follows: $25,000 for an NCAA Tournament appearance, $50,000 for UConn’s win in the first round, $75,000 for making it out of the second round, $125,000 for the Sweet Sixteen triumph. The win over Duke in the Elite Eight meant an extra $200,000 for Hurley, whereas the Final Four victory added $300,000 to the total.

A national championship would’ve handed Hurley the final $500,000. Most importantly, it would’ve earned him a seat in the debate for the greatest college basketball head coach of all time. However, May and Michigan prevented that with a staple performance. Now, the Wolverines are national champions for the first time since 1989.

Michigan has finished as runner-up six times. After winning it all in 1989, the program returned to the national title game four more times but fell short against powerhouse programs like Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball, North Carolina Tar Heels, Louisville, and Villanova Wildcats.

Despite those setbacks, Michigan has remained a consistently competitive program. Over the past decade, the Wolverines have reached the postseason five times and came close again in the 2025-26 season, making another run to the national championship game.

How many national titles does Dusty May have?

Dusty May has yet to win a national championship, either with Michigan or any other program. However, he has made an immediate impact since arriving for the 2024-25 season, leading the Wolverines to the Sweet Sixteen in his first year and previously winning a Conference USA tournament title with another program.

May has posted two strong seasons at Michigan. In his first year, the team went 27-10, followed by an impressive 36-3 campaign. The Wolverines hadn’t reached the 30-win mark since the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons under John Beilein. Since 1908, Michigan has recorded 30 or more wins in just six seasons.

Beyond national championships, Michigan has also found success in the Big Ten Conference. The program owns four conference tournament titles, most recently in 2025 under May, along with 16 regular-season championships, including the 2026 title after a nearly five-year drought.

“They have championship DNA. What they’ve done over the last four years is as impressive as anything we’ve seen in recent memory. And we’ve got our hands full Monday, but these guys will be up for the challenge,” he said on the TBS broadcast.

It was no easy task at all to reach this stage. The Wolverines defeated the Arizona Wildcats 91–73 in the Final Four, in May’s second season at the helm of the team. Will Michigan be able to achieve its ultimate goal on Monday night?

Led by Aday Mara

Aday Mara led the charge in Michigan’s rout of Arizona, dominating the paint with a career-high 26 points and 9 rebounds. Despite shooting struggles, Elliot Cadeau orchestrated the offense masterfully, dishing out 10 assists to propel the Wolverines into the National Championship game.

The Wolverines are aiming for their second title

Thirty-seven years after their historic 1989 triumph, where they defeated the Seton Hall Pirates 80-79 in a thrilling overtime finish, the Michigan Wolverines will seek for their second official title. The team looks to break a nearly four-decade drought and finally return to the top of the college basketball world.

When and where is the March Madness final?

The 2026 March Madness National Championship game is scheduled for Monday, April 6, at 8:50 PM ET. The high-stakes matchup will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, featuring Dusty May’s team against the UConn Huskies.

This marks the ninth time Indianapolis has hosted the Final Four, with the city serving as the culminating site for this year’s tournament drama.

As the No. 1 seed, Michigan enters with heavy expectations, but Alabama’s explosive offense adds a dangerous layer to the matchup. Crimson Tide has looked dominant so far, including a convincing win in the Round of 32.

With both teams peaking at the right time, this game becomes more than just another step in the bracket. It’s a defining moment—one where Michigan can continue its title push or Alabama can disrupt the path.

What happens if Michigan beat Alabama today?

If Michigan beats Alabama today, they will advance to the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The win would keep their title run alive and move them one step closer to the Final Four, reinforcing their status as one of the top contenders.

Dusty May’s team enters this matchup as a No. 1 seed and one of the most complete teams in the tournament, coming off a dominant 95-72 win over Saint Louis in the previous round.

That performance highlighted their offensive depth and efficiency, with multiple players contributing at a high level. Advancing to the Elite Eight would set up a regional final against another top opponent.

What happens if Michigan and Alabama tie?

Michigan vs. Alabama cannot end in a tie in March Madness. If the game is level at the end of regulation, teams will play five-minute overtime periods until a winner is determined.

This format ensures that every game—especially in elimination rounds like the Sweet 16—has a definitive outcome. There is no limit to the number of overtimes, meaning games can extend as long as needed.

What happens if Michigan lose to Alabama today?

If Michigan loses to Alabama today, they will be eliminated from the 2026 NCAA Tournament. A defeat would end their March Madness run in the Sweet 16, while Alabama would advance to the Elite Eight.

The only other school joining Michigan in this mascot-free category during the 2026 Sweet 16 is Illinois, which has operated without an official mascot for nearly two decades. Following the 2007 retirement of “Chief Illiniwek” due to NCAA sanctions against Native American imagery, the university has refrained from adopting a new character despite several student-led proposals.

Consequently, as the rest of the tournament field celebrates with furry icons and sideline performers, these two Big Ten rivals will rely solely on their iconic logos and team spirit. This unique status highlights a shared commitment distinguishing them from the 14 other programs during March Madness.

The search for a new mascot at Illinois

Since retiring Chief Illiniwek, the “Fighting Illini” name persists as a source of pride, the university has struggled to find a physical replacement that satisfies both a modern push for inclusivity and a nostalgic fan base that are asking for a new mascot.

In recent years, the Belted Kingfisher has emerged as the leading student-backed candidate, even winning a supermajority in a February 2025 student referendum. Proponents argue the bird’s natural orange and blue plumage makes it a perfect fit, yet the administration has been slow to grant it official status to avoid further alienating traditionalists.

Unlike Illinois, which is in a state of transition, Michigan has a long history of actively rejecting mascot proposals to maintain what administrators call “athletic dignity.” While fans occasionally don unofficial costumes, the University of Michigan Athletic Department has consistently refused to sanction a costumed character.

As the important evaluation process for players, the Combine, gets underway, one of the top-projected running backs made a striking revelation to the media, stating that he came very close to joining the Michigan Wolverines.

“I was committed to Notre Dame, and it came to signing day. I was literally this close to going to Michigan,” Love said Friday on The Rich Eisen Show. “But I was like, ‘I’m committed to Notre Dame. I’m just going to stick with them. Even though I kind of want to go to Michigan. I kind of want to go there. I’m just going to stick it out with Notre Dame. I’m going to stick with my first choice.’”

Luckily for Marcus Freeman and the Irish, one of the most impactful running backs in recent NCAAF seasons ended up at Notre Dame, delivering standout performances that have caught the attention of numerous NFL teams.

The reason behind his final decision

While Love took his time and waited until the very last moment to decide his college football destination, there was a specific reason he ultimately chose not to join the Michigan Wolverines.

“I ain’t talk to nobody,” he said. “But my homeboy, Fredrick Moore, he went to Michigan. I was kind of like gonna go with him. And I remember it very vividly. I’m telling him, ‘I’m trying to go to Michigan.

“I’m trying to connect with y’all’s coaches. But nobody’s hitting me up. I don’t have any connection with anybody. That’s probably why I didn’t go. Nobody contacted me.”

Love’s potential Draft selection

While Love’s NFL future remains uncertain, speculation is already swirling about where he could be selected in the draft. Rumors suggest he is widely projected as a top-10 to top-15 pick.

Despite these projections, and considering potential destinations for the running back, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him land with the Chiefs (holding the No. 9 pick), as well as the Titans (No. 4) or the Commanders (No. 7).