For a few minutes, the most surprising outcome of the early part of the college football season seemed to be the Western Michigan Broncos defeating the heavily favored Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium.The Big House. Bryce Underwood, one of the most promoted recruits of the last decade. New head coach Kyle Whittingham, known for his stability, consistency and avoiding big surprises while with the Utah Utes. And the Broncos took a 12-7 lead with just 38 seconds left and the Wolverines with no timeouts. Everyone knows what happened next. Underwood’s first Hail Mary attempt flew out of the back of the end zone, with the game clock on the broadcast and the scoreboard reading 0:00. Game over. But after a poorly explained review determined that an extra second should have been added, Underwood was given a second chance. JJ Buchanan got sick and Wolverines fans stormed the field. THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW: UNFILTERED, UNAPPOLOGIZED AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD YOUR DAILY PODCAST NOW! Michigan fans storm the field after Michigan beat Western Michigan with a Hail Mary touchdown pass with time expired at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images (Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images) Nearly everyone outside of Michigan was perplexed, or downright angry, by the outcome. The Big Ten’s explanation didn’t help anything either, as the conference said the clocks were synchronized with strobes before the game, but that another clock viewed during the replay process had determined there was one second left. Even though the synchronized cameras showed that there were no seconds left. Initially, it seemed like that would be the end. Western Michigan staff said they contacted the Big Ten, reviewed the footage and were satisfied that proper procedure had been followed. However, on Tuesday afternoon all that changed. The Mid-American Conference released a statement, announcing that they had filed a formal appeal with the NCAA FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff requesting that those two bodies recognize the Broncos as the true winners of the game. “After further study and investigation, it is now evident that the replay protocol was not adequately followed to determine if time remained on the clock at the conclusion of the football game between Western Michigan and Michigan,” the statement said. “The established replay protocol requires that the game clock displayed on the program broadcast be used to determine whether time remains. Instead, the Big Ten Conference replay team relied on the clock broadcast integrated into its replay system. As a result, the game clock was moved back one second and an extra play was awarded.” The Western Michigan Broncos’ No. 12 looks on with seconds left to play against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game with a 47-yard touchdown pass with no time left on the clock. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) Interestingly, they also emphasize that the appeal does not challenge the correct amount of time on the clock, only that the rules were applied incorrectly. “This was not a judgment about the appropriate amount of time to put on the clock,” he continues. “It was an error in the application of the established replay protocol governing this specific end-of-game timing situation. If the protocol had been followed correctly and the program’s broadcast clock had been utilized, no additional plays would have been awarded and Western Michigan would have won the game, 12-7.” The NCAA FBS and College Football Oversight Committee will recognize the Western Michigan Broncos as the “real winner.” “The MAC requests that those bodies recognize Western Michigan as the actual winner of the game for purposes of their respective rankings, evaluations and selection deliberations, and take other corrective actions that are within their authority,” the statement concludes. JJ Buchanan #6 of the Michigan Wolverines caught a game-winning pass with time running out to lead Michigan past Western Michigan 13-12 at Michigan Stadium on September 5, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Getty Images) So what does the NCAA rule book actually say about this procedure? Is the MAC right? The closest relevant rule appears to govern what video evidence can be evaluated as part of a review. And although it is not absolutely clear what the proper procedure should be, there is an indication that “televised production” should be used when evaluating video evidence. OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP – CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD “All reviews shall be based on video evidence provided and sourced directly from the televised production of the game or from other video media available to the replay official that is also available to the television producer,” the rule says. So what chance does the MAC have of getting the result? dumped? Very little. Even if there is some truth to this appeal and the outcome was unfair to Western Michigan, it is nearly impossible for an FBS Committee to overturn a result that was determined on the field. And it goes without saying that big programs like Michigan will almost certainly get the benefit of the doubt in these types of cases. But the MAC at least showed some backbone and support for its member school after that debacle and what it cost them. Western Michigan could have competed for a spot in the College Football Playoffs, with the benefit of a win over a top-20 opponent, if the game had ended at 0:00. In response, the Big Ten issued its own statement, saying: “The Big Ten stands by the statement issued following the conclusion of Western Michigan’s game against Michigan and the determination of the replay officials. We will have no further comment on the matter.” It summarizes where both sides stand and why this dispute will never come to a satisfactory resolution for all parties involved. Ian Miller is a writer at OutKick.
