Michigan basketball fans, get ready! The Wolverines are reportedly locking in another nonconference game for the 2026-27 season, and it’s against a familiar foe: Toledo. This matchup is set to go down on December 30, 2026, right there at Crisler Center.
The Streak Lives: Decades of Dominance
This isn’t just some random matchup, folks. This rivalry, or lack thereof given the history, goes all the way back to the 1918-19 season. They’ve faced off 23 times, and Michigan holds a pretty sweet 15-8 lead. What’s wild is that the Wolverines have won the last four straight, and Toledo’s last victory against Michigan? You gotta go all the way back to 1979! Think about that for a second. That’s a serious drought.
Michigan kept that streak alive even in the Juwan Howard era, snagging a 91-71 win in 2020 and a clutch 90-80 victory in the NIT back in 2023. Remember that NIT game? Kobe Bufkin went off for 23 points, Joey Baker dropped 21, Hunter Dickinson pulled down 19 points and nine rebounds, and Dug McDaniel dished out 16 points and eight assists. What a game! Interestingly, the only guy from that 2023 NIT clash still with either program is Toledo’s head coach, Tod Kowalczyk, who’s been leading the Rockets for 16 seasons. Talk about commitment!
Toledo’s New Look Poses a Challenge
Now, don’t sleep on Toledo, though. They might not have beaten Michigan in forever, but they’ve been a legit force in the Mid-American Conference for the past decade. We’re talking four regular season conference titles between 2020 and 2024! Yeah, they haven’t made the NCAA tournament since 1980, but they’ve consistently had winning records every year since 2010-11. That’s solid.
They did lose their three top scorers from last season, which stings, but they’re bringing back center Austin Parks, who was putting up 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds a game. Plus, they snagged a couple of transfers: point guard Sean Jones from Marquette and wing Richard Barron from Providence. Those could be big pickups, giving them some new firepower. Michigan even had a 96-92 exhibition win over Toledo in 2024, with L.J. Cason and Roddy Gayle Jr. both dropping 20 points in what was the second game of the Dusty May era. But here’s the kicker: none of the players from that exhibition are even at U-M anymore. So, it’s a completely different squad they’ll be facing this time around.
Boynton’s Challenging Debut Season Takes Shape
This Toledo game, set for December 30, 2026, is just one piece of what’s shaping up to be Mike Boynton Jr.’s demanding first year as head coach. He’s already saying there’s “no… dropoff” expected, and this nonconference schedule backs that up. We’re talking six nonconference games plus a three, potentially four, game run in the Players Era Festival. They’ve got Oakland, UConn, Marquette, William & Mary, and a road trip to Villanova on the schedule already. And that’s before the Players Era Festival where they could see Creighton, Miami or TCU, and then maybe even Gonzaga, Kansas State, Baylor, or Alabama. WHEW! This Toledo game is gonna be another test in a packed, challenging slate for Boynton’s debut season. Can’t wait to see how they handle it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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