Texas primed for dominance as Michigan's Citrus Bowl opt-outs start to pour in

In the latest turn of events for the Michigan Wolverines, a slew of starters have opted out of the upcoming Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.

With just nine days until kick off, Michigan interim head coach Bigg Poggi shared that defensive end Derrick Moore, linebacker Jaishawn Barham, and offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi had all opted out of the postseason game.

The absence of these critical players will undeniably be felt by the Wolverines and sets the Texas Longhorns up for success on both sides of the ball.

Michigan hit harder by opt-outs than Texas

While the Horns will be missing defensive stars Anthony Hill Jr. and Michael Taaffe, as well as a few defensive backs, the Wolverines are going to be aching for more depth across the board.

Beyond the coaching drama within the program, the Wolverines were already underdogs compared to the Longhorns, and now, the line will likely spread as Texas and Michigan watch their opt-outs role in (or not).

Michigan missing Moore and Barham perfectly sets up Texas quarterback Arch Manning for yet another massive game, something that became part of the norm for the Horns as the end of the season unfolded.

Moore leads the Wolverines in sacks with 10 on the year, alongside 30 total tackles, three pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Through the regular season, Barham amassed 32 total tackles, four sacks, four pass deflections, and one forced fumble.

Meanwhile, as Texas feels the absence of Taaffe and Hill, the Wolverines will be missing El-Hadi, who was one of Michigan's leading pass-rush blockers throughout the year.

On New Year's Eve, the No. 13 Texas Longhorns and the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines are scheduled to kick off the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at 2 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on ABC.