Oklahoma-Michigan Will Have SEC Officiating Crew

NORMAN — For Michigan fans, the last moments of Saturday's wild finish between the Wolverines and Western Michigan might've brought up feelings of the 2007 Appalachian State loss.

Or, after the controversial finish, being on the other side of a Hail Mary after losing on such a play in the 1994 showdown with Kordell Stewart and Colorado.

For Oklahoma fans, it brought up memories of the 2006 finish at Oregon, where replay review officials .

That ending brought about change in college athletics that remains, and will benefit the Sooners this week when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on the Wolverines.

After that 2006 finish, the Big 12 began contracting to use its officials in non-conference road games. The practice spread and is now the norm when power conference teams square off.

The contract for Saturday's game between the Sooners and Wolverines, signed in 2014, includes such a clause.

"The officials, including replay officials and the replay system to be utilized, for the game on September 6, 2025, shall be appointed by the athletics conference of which the University of Michigan is a member, and the officials, including replay officials, and the replay system to be utilized, for the game on September 12, 2026, shall be appointed by the athletics conference of which the University of Oklahoma is a member," the relevant clause in the contract reads.

The contract was obtained by Sooners on SI via an open records request.

The contract calls for the visiting team in both games to be paid $750,000 by March 1 following each scheduled contest while a $1 million buyout by the team backing out if the sides don't mutuaully agree to cancel the game, except if the cancellation occurs due to weather, etc.

That doesn't figure to come into play for this contract.

Oklahoma beat Michigan 24-13 in Norman last season.

The Sooners opened their season with a 51-0 win over UTEP on Friday.

Michigan trailed by five with 35 seconds left from its own 25 after a Western Michigan field goal and touchback.

With nine seconds remaining from the Western Michigan 47, Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood heaved a Hail Mary to the back of the end zone that was unsuccessful, and the Broncos celebrated an apparent win.

But after a review, one second was put back on the clcok, giving Michigan another shot at the Hail Mary.

This time, Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan at the front of the end zone, giving the Wolverines a 13-12 victory.

Michigan paid Western Michigan $1.5 million for the contest, according to MLive.

The Wolverines matchup with Western Michigan used Big Ten officiating crews and replay officials.

Following the game, the Big Ten released a statement, plus audio and video from the replay booth, saying one second remained on the clock when Western Michigan safety Micah Davis touched the ball after launching into the air from out of bounds.

The Sooners and Wolverines will play at 11 a.m. Saturday at The Big House. The game will be televised on Fox.

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