College Football Schedule: FBSchedules.com
Michigan, Eastern Michigan adjust football game date in 2027
By Kevin Kelley - September 1, 2026
The Michigan Wolverines and Eastern Michigan Eagles have adjusted the date of their football game in 2027, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Michigan and Eastern Michigan were previously scheduled to meet on September 18, 2027 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. The game is the first of two scheduled contests between the two schools, with the second slated for September 7, 2030.
According to a copy of an amendment obtained from Eastern Michigan University via a state public records request, the 2027 contest has been moved up one week to September 11 that season. As part of the revised agreement, Michigan will pay Eastern Michigan an additional $50,000, increasing the total guarantee to $1.55 million.
The shift in date of the Michigan-Eastern Michigan game affects two other previously scheduled contests. Michigan was scheduled to play at Texas on September 11, 2027, which is the the second game of a home‑and‑home series that began in 2024, when the Longhorns won 31–12 in Ann Arbor.
It remains unclear whether the 2027 Michigan-Texas meeting will be rescheduled or canceled; the contract carries a $2 million cancellation fee unless both schools agree to void the game.
Eastern Michigan’s home matchup against Mercyhurst, also scheduled for Sept. 11, is likewise impacted. That contest is expected to be moved, potentially to the season opener on August 28.
Michigan is set to open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 — its first under new head coach Kyle Whittingham — at home against Western Michigan. The game will air on NBC and stream on Peacock at 7:30pm ET.
Eastern Michigan began its 2026 campaign in Week Zero with a 28–17 home win over Sacramento State. The Eagles next host San Jose State on Friday, Sept. 4, with kickoff at 6:30pm ET on ESPN+.
https://fbschedules.com/michigan-eastern-michigan-adjust-football-game-date-in-2027/
Comment: We knew the first two weeks of the 2028/9 seasons were going to include minor non-conference opponents. Central Michigan and UNC-Charlotte in 2028. Bowling Green and Western Michigan in 2029. It made me wonder if Michigan was going "full Cignetti".
With the news that the 2027 Eastern Michigan game has been moved to the date when UM was supposed to play Texas in Austin, we may have another data point to support that hypothesis.
It'll be interesting to see what happens next. Sarkisian has been openly discussing Texas dropping its home-and-home with Notre Dame given last year's results, the nine game SEC schedule and the lack of CFP expansion. This may be a situation where both UM and UT agree its best to cancel next year's game.
Who will be that third OOC opponent in 2027 (assuming the Texas game is canceled), 2028 and 2029? My guess is that it will be a non-MAC G5 team looking for a payout and willing to accommodate Michigan date wise. The television networks won't like it, but teams like UM and UT see a real tradeoff between tougher schedules and getting into the 12-team CFP.