No. 16 Michigan narrowly avoided an upset loss to Western Michigan on Saturday night, securing a 13-12 victory in a contest marked by a controversial replay decision in the game’s final moments.
With the score tied and the clock appearing to show zero, quarterback Bryce Underwood launched a Hail Mary pass that sailed beyond the end zone. The ball was initially intercepted by a Broncos defender, and multiple observers believed the play concluded with the game clock expired. However, officials reviewed the play and determined that one second remained on the clock at the moment of contact. The Big Ten released a statement two hours after the game, explaining that Western Michigan’s defender had initiated his jump from an out-of-bounds position, which stopped the clock before it reached zero. The conference provided video and audio recordings supporting the decision. The Mid-American Conference also confirmed it had received clarification from the Big Ten on the review.
Given the second chance, Underwood threw another pass that receiver JJ Buchanan caught in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. Underwood acknowledged he believed the game was over when his first pass sailed out of bounds, while head coach Kyle Whittingham said he thought one second remained. Western Michigan head coach Lance Taylor indicated he had not reviewed the replay before addressing reporters.
The narrow escape marked an inauspicious debut for Whittingham, who was brought in to stabilize the program following the firing and arrest of the previous head coach. Michigan fans experienced flashbacks to a significant upset loss in 2007, as the Wolverines had been projected to win by over 27 points. Despite the victory, Whittingham and his players expressed frustration with the performance, with defensive end Dom Nichols describing feeling “sick to his stomach” about the game. Whittingham cautioned that the team would need substantial improvement before facing No. 10 Oklahoma in the coming week.
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