GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — In the Michigan Wolverines’ illustrious 143-year football history, they have met more than 150 different teams.

With more than 1,375 games in the books, the Wolverines have outlasted world wars, global pandemics, and yes, even losing to Ohio State to win 989 games, more than any other school in history. Some of their 150 opponents don’t even exist anymore.

Texas Christian University has also been fielding 11 men on the football field for more than a century and has had many memorable seasons, including this one, when they went 12-1 and were one game short of a Big 12 Championship.

Combined, Michigan and TCU have played 2,687 games, but Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl will be their first against each other. Michigan comes into the historic matchup as the No. 2 team in the country and TCU one spot behind at No. 3.

The Fiesta Bowl trophy. (Dec. 29, 2022)
The Fiesta Bowl trophy. (Dec. 29, 2022)

The Wolverines and Horned Frogs have rarely faced off in any sport. The first meeting was in December 1962, when the men’s basketball programs faced off in Ann Arbor. Michigan trounced TCU 82-60.

Since then, there have only been six other documented meetings between the universities. All were men’s tennis matches, including one in March of this year that saw the Wolverines victorious. Michigan holds the lead in head-to-head matchups over TCU, winning four out of the seven total games.

If TCU were to pull off the upset, it would become just the 12th team in college football history to have never lost to Michigan. It would join other powerhouse programs like Wesleyan, Cleveland A.A. and the Chicago Athletic Club.

The two teams face off in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona at 4 p.m. Saturday. The game airs on ESPN. The winner will then move on to the College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 9.