The Mid-American Conference (MAC) formally requested on Tuesday that Western Michigan University be declared the winner of its recent contest against Michigan. The appeal followed a controversial finish that saw the Wolverines secure a 13-12 victory via a last-second touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan.
However, the NCAA promptly dismissed the conference’s efforts to alter the game result. Citing its official football rulebook, the governing body stated, “When the referee declares that the game is ended, the score is final,” and further specified that no rule decision can be adjusted once the game has concluded or the ball is next legally snapped.
MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher had argued that the Big Ten officiating crew failed to follow established replay protocols during the final moments of the game. According to the MAC’s findings, officials mistakenly utilized an unsynchronized clock embedded within the replay system rather than the designated game clock on the program feed. Steinbrecher noted that if the correct protocol had been followed, the clock would have expired before the final play, resulting in a 12-7 win for Western Michigan.
The controversy centers on a play with nine seconds remaining, where Underwood scrambled and threw an incomplete pass. While stadium and television clocks appeared to hit zero as the ball reached a defender, officials initiated a review and determined one second remained on the clock based on an internal, non-public timing source. This extra second enabled the game-winning touchdown.
In a letter to the NCAA, the MAC maintained that while the decision to review the play was appropriate, the execution of that review was flawed. The conference urged the FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff committee to recognize Western Michigan as the legitimate winner for future ranking and selection purposes. The NCAA confirmed to stakeholders, however, that its oversight committees lack the jurisdiction to overturn a game outcome.
Despite the Big Ten later releasing an explanation regarding the existence of the official timing feed, the impact of the game remains significant. Following the win, Michigan dropped out of the Top 25 rankings ahead of their upcoming game against No. 11 Oklahoma. While Western Michigan and the MAC initially adopted a conciliatory stance in the immediate aftermath of the contest, the formal appeal signals a continued disagreement regarding the application of officiating standards in critical end-of-game situations. The report also notes that it didn’t take the NCAA long to shoot down that idea. The report also notes that the Wolverines defeated the Broncos 13-12 on a final-play Hail Mary pass from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan – a play that many believe shouldn’t have happened. The report also notes that despite replays showing the clock appeared to have hit:00 before the play was over, a replay review by officials determined there was one second left. The report also notes that “After further study and investigation, it is now evident that replay protocol was not properly followed in determining whether time remained on the game clock at the conclusion of the Western Michigan vs. The report also notes that the final moments of the game have been replayed and analyzed as much as any in recent memory.
