NCAA Declines to Overturn Michigan Victory Over Western Michigan

The NCAA has stated it cannot overturn the outcome of a football game in which Michigan defeated Western Michigan 13 to 12. The decision follows a formal appeal by the Mid American Conference (MAC) to recognize Western Michigan as the winner.

The controversy centers on a final play where Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood threw a Hail Mary pass to JJ Buchanan for the winning score. The MAC argues that the play should not have occurred because the clock had already expired. According to MAC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, the Big Ten replay crew violated protocol by relying on a clock feed embedded in its replay system rather than the program feed clock. Steinbrecher stated that if the proper protocol had been followed, no additional play would have been awarded and Western Michigan would have won 12 to 7.

The Big Ten explained that the official clock, which was not visible in the stadium or on television, was used to allow the final play. The NCAA told CNN that the Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee lacks the authority to overturn the game result, citing the rule that no decision may be changed after the second or fourth periods have ended. The MAC requested that the NCAA and the College Football Playoff recognize the Broncos as the winner for the purposes of rankings and selection deliberations.