09/06/2026
Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12 | https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/49851734/unfair-last-play
Western Michigan president Russ Kavalhuna said Sunday that he didn't "discern anything unfair or untoward" with the Big Ten's replay decision that put an extra second on the clock, leading to Michigan's game-winning touchdown pass in Saturday's 13-12 win over the Broncos.
Kavalhuna said that he was up late Saturday night speaking with Big Ten officials, including conference commissioner Tony Petitti.
"He was gracious enough to let me talk with some of his staff who are over this issue," Kavalhuna said. "And it is just a discrepancy. What the viewing public see and what the reviewing officials see are different and that's clear."
On what appeared to be the final play of the game, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood sailed a Hail Mary pass beyond the end zone into the arms of Western Michigan safety Micah Davis. TV replays showed the clock hitting zero with the ball still in the air.
But Big Ten replay officials put a second back on the clock, giving the Wolverines another play.
With the second chance, Underwood threw another Hail Mary, and JJ Buchanan hauled it in for a 47-yard touchdown.
Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor said Sunday that "ultimately, the refs did not cost" the Broncos the game and that people shouldn't feel sorry for his team.
"If we make the mistake of making an excuse, it allows us to be bitter instead of getting better," he said. "That's where we want to go as a football team."
Yeah, this is complete and total bull s**t. You can cover for the B1G officials all you want, but the reality is that they blew this call. The game should have been over when the first Hail Mary attempt sailed out of the endzone. Period, the game was over. But let's get real here. Betting lines and money dictate collegiate and pro sports for that matter. There was some serious money that was on the line, so some things got changed and Michigan was the benefactor of a stunning (second) Hail Mary TD (that shouldn't have fu***ng counted) that gave them a 13-12 walkoff win (cough, cough).
B1G officials and crew who worked this game should not be doing another game in college football this year. Absolutely a fu***ng joke and screwing with the integrity of the sport when you are allowing results to be fixed based on some egregious (saying that nicely, BTW) errors.
Michigan won this game on the books, but the public saw otherwise. I think though they are big trouble this year. Underwood really struggled and now you have a solid Oklahoma team coming to the Big House this week. Should get interesting.
A day after the Broncos' last-second loss to Michigan, Western Michigan president Russ Kavalhuna said Sunday he didn't "discern anything unfair" with the Big Ten's replay decision that put an extra second on the clock, leading to the Wolverines' victory.
