​The Wolverines opened last season’s national championship chase with a home date against the Golden Grizzlies, and history repeats itself in 2026-27 with the same matchup, the same date, and the same venue. Michigan guard Trey McKenney is seen driving to pass around Oakland’s guards Brett White and Khoi Thurmon in the second half, a snapshot that underscores the familiar foe in this year’s opener. Michigan will begin its national title defense by hosting Oakland at Crisler Center on November 3, kicking off the Mike Boynton Jr. era with the season’s first tip-off, a detail confirmed by a signed game contract obtained by The Detroit News through a Freedom of Information Act request.
This marks the third straight season the inner-state rivals will collide. A charity exhibition in Detroit at Little Caesars Arena two years ago saw Michigan prevail over Oakland, and last season the Wolverines routed the Golden Grizzlies 121-78 in Ann Arbor. In total, this will be the 11th regular-season meeting between the programs. Michigan holds a commanding 9-1 edge in the series, has won the last eight games, and is undefeated (7-0) at Crisler Center. The lone Oakland victory in recent years came in November 2000 at the O’rena in Rochester. The 2026-27 edition should feel different for both sides, as Michigan is coming off significant changes after Dusty May left for the NBA, along with the departure of their top three scorers and much of the rotation from a 37-win squad that claimed the Big Ten regular-season title and the program’s first national championship since 1989. Oakland, meanwhile, returns only one of its top seven scorers from a 16-16 season that left them tied for third in the Horizon League with a 12-8 mark.
Beyond the Oakland game, Michigan’s nonconference slate includes a meeting with the College of William & Mary on November 15, marking the programs’ first-ever encounter. William & Mary posted a 20-12 record last season under second-year coach Brian Earl and finished tied for fifth in the 13-team Coastal Athletic Association with a 10-8 conference record. KenPom highlights for the Tribe last year show them ranking in the top 10 nationally in average possession length (13.7 seconds, No. 1), adjusted tempo (72.6 possessions per game, No. 7), and assist rate (63.8%, No. 9), with an 83.1 points-per-game scoring average that ranked No. 31 nationally.
Michigan will pay each opponent—Oakland and William & Mary—$90,000 for these two games, according to the signed contracts. Tip times and television designations for both contests will be announced closer to the dates. Michigan’s broader nonconference schedule features a national title game rematch with UConn in Boston on November 6, a home date with Marquette on November 11, a neutral-site showdown with Duke on December 21, and a trip to Villanova (date to be determined). The Wolverines are also slated to participate in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas during Thanksgiving week, opening against Creighton on November 24 as part of at least three games in that event. This slate sets up a competitive and high-profile start to the season as Michigan navigates turnover while Oakland seeks to recapture momentum after a rebuilding year.