NCAA Announces Decision on Michigan-Western Michigan Controversy

Big Ten replay officials broke protocol by adding one second, but NCAA rules keep Western Michigan's 13-12 Hail Mary loss at Michigan in place.

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The NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee said Wednesday that Western Michigan would have beaten Michigan if replay rules had been followed on Sept. 5, but the Wolverines' 13-12 win still stands.

The panel met this week after the Mid-American Conference sent a letter asking for the result to be overturned. It agreed replay protocols weren't followed on the game's second-to-last play. "Had the protocols been followed, the outcome of the game would have been different," the committee said.

Big Ten replay crew clock error

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Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood threw a Hail Mary on what looked like the final play of Western Michigan at Michigan. The game clock shown in NBC's replay read 0:00 when a Western Michigan defender touched the ball, and the Broncos started to celebrate a 12-7 upset.

Big Ten replay officials ruled the defender jumped from out of bounds and touched the ball with one second left. They put that second back on the clock. Underwood then hit wide receiver JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown and a 13-12 Michigan win.

MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a Sept. 8 statement that "the Big Ten Conference replay crew relied upon the clock feed embedded within its replay system."

Matt Young, the NCAA's secretary rules-editor for football, issued a new timing guideline on Sept. 8. It tells replay officials to use the embedded game clock in the program feed when they restore or adjust time.

Why can't the NCAA overturn it?

The committee said it doesn't have the power to change the result.

Rule 1-1-3-b says, "When the referee declares that the game is ended, the score is final." Rule 5-2-9 says, "No rule decision may be changed after the ball is next legally snapped, legally free-kicked or the second or fourth periods have ended."

Michigan snapped the ball again for Buchanan's touchdown, and the referee then ended the game. So the replay error couldn't be fixed under either rule.

Western Michigan and MAC appeal

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Steinbrecher sent letters on Sept. 8 to the NCAA and the College Football Playoff. He asked both groups to count Western Michigan as the winner for rankings, evaluations and selection decisions.

The Big Ten backed its officials after the appeal. "The Big Ten stands by the statement released following the conclusion of the Western Michigan at Michigan game and the determination made by the replay officials," the conference said.

Lance Taylor, Western Michigan's fourth-year head coach, led the Broncos to a 10-4 record and a MAC title in 2025.

Western Michigan President Russ Kavalhuna praised the MAC's move. "The support we have received from across the country for Coach (Lance) Taylor and our Broncos, for their character and their sportsmanship, has been overwhelming, and we are grateful for it," Kavalhuna said.

The loss kept the Kalamazoo school from its first win over Michigan in program history.