Michigan football has never played these FBS teams and the number will surprise you
Michigan football is one of the oldest programs in the country dating back to 1879. The Wolverines have played a lot of teams, the team they have played the most is their bitter rival Ohio State whom they have played a total of 119 times.
Of course a part of the Big Ten Conference, fellow conference members are the teams Michigan has played the most, but for a program that has been around for 145 years, there are a lot of programs the Wolverines have not faced.
There are a total of 43 teams Michigan has not faced in their program history, most of these teams are Group of Five teams that Michigan would only play in the beginning of the season non-conference games. However, that number will drop to 41 this season as Michigan will face Fresno State and Arkansas State in Week 1 and Week 3.
Here is a list of every team either Group of Five or Power Five Michigan has not faced in program history.
Michigan football vs. AAC
With teams moving to new conferences, there are probably a few more teams from this conference that Michigan hasn't faced before. There are a total of eight schools Michigan football has never faced.
USF Bulls: The Bulls only started playing football in 1997 so they are a very young program. It is also no surprise as Michigan plays a lot of closer small programs and USF is in Florida at the bottom of the country.
UTSA Roadrunners: The Roadrunners started playing football in 2011 and only just got to a bigger conference in the AAC.
North Texas: North Texas started playing football in 1913, but did not join FBS till 1953. They started our independent and have jumped around from smaller conference to smaller conference. This seems like a team Michigan would have wanted to get on their schedule.
Florida Atlantic Owls: The Owls began playing football in 2001 and joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2004. With the distance between these two schools, like USF, it is not surprising these schools have not faced each other.
UAB Blazers: Alabama-Birmingham is also a young football program starting in 1989, but they joined FBS in 1996. Like the Florida schools, the distance between the schools could be a reason for no matchups.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane: Tulsa is an older program like Michigan with its football program starting in 1895. They have been in the FBS since 1917 bouncing around small conferences, weird that these two programs have not faced off.
Charlotte 49ers: The Charlotte 49ers are not a super young program playing their first football game in 1946. They joined FBS in 2015 so no wonder these teams haven't played each other.
Temple Owls: The Owls are an older program as well beginning in 1894, they joined the FBA in 1930. These programs are somewhat close in proximity so it's a mystery that these programs haven't faced off yet.