We just passed the 19th anniversary of Michigan's shocking upset loss to Appalachian State that opened their 2007 season.
asserted
that → pass → season
Well, we came about as close as you can to another major Michigan upset to kick off this year.
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you → come → upset
A Hail Mary and a clock controversy superseded the close game between the Wolverines and the Western Michigan Broncos.
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Mary → supersede → Wolverines
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood had one more desperation heave in him.
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Underwood → have → him
His pass sailed out of the back of the end zone, leading to the Broncos' celebration.
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pass → sail → celebration
Officials determined there was one second remaining on the clock when the ball was thrown.
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ball → determine → clock
It allowed Michigan one more play.
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It → allow → play
This time, Underwood connected with J.J. Buchanan for the game-winning score.
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Underwood → connect → score
The Wolverines came out with the 13-12 victory.
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Wolverines → come → victory
But how there was one second left after Underwood's initial throw became all that anyone would talk about.
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anyone → be → that
Officials called for a review.
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Officials → call → review
TV replays showed the clock hitting zero before the ball hit the hands of the Western Michigan defender.
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ball → show → defender
Still, officials ruled there was a second left in the game.
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officials → rule → game
The Big Ten Conference stood by the decision.
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Conference → stand → decision
"It was determined Western Michigan No. 18 started his jump from an established out-of-bounds position (left foot) and made contact with the ball with one second remaining on the clock," the conference said, citing a rule that stops the clock on such contact.
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that → determine → contact
Michgan came out unscathed.
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Michgan → come → ?
As is often the case in these Week 1 matchups, Michigan came into this one as an overwhelming 27.5-point favorite.
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Michigan → come → favorite
Oddsmakers were also looking at a fairly high-scoring game with the o/u set at 49.5.
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u → look → 49.5
However, this turned into a low-scoring, defensive battle, with Michigan opening the scoring when QB Bryce Underwood punched it into the end zone from the 1-yard line.
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Underwood → turn → line
A few minutes later, the Broncos answered with a field goal, then tacked on another before halftime, and that was the end of the scoring in the first half.
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that → answer → half
The teams went to the locker room with Michigan up just 7-6.
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Michigan → go → room
That was a stunner, but surely Michigan would come out firing and put the 2025 MAC champions away.
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Michigan → come → champions
The next time either team would score wasn't until the fourth quarter, when Western Michigan kicked their third field goal of the game to go up 9-7.
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Michigan → score → game
Both teams failed to score on their next drives, but with Michigan looking like they were on the verge of at least marching downfield for a late game-winning field goal, the Broncos pulled off a stunner.
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Broncos → fail → stunner
Western Michigan's Joshua Franklin managed to punch the ball out of Underwood's grasp as he fell to the turf, with the Broncos pouncing on top of it.
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Broncos → manage → it
Despite a scare due to a fumble of their own, the Broncos hung on to the ball and added another field goal to go up 12-7.
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Broncos → hang → goal
On the ensuing drive, Underwood connected with receiver Channing Goodwin around midfield, and with no timeouts, the Wolverines scrambled to the line of scrimmage to spike the ball with just nine seconds on the clock.
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Wolverines → ensue → clock
On the final play of the game, Underwood found space and gave his receivers time to get downfield before heaving a bomb that ended up sailing just out the back of the end zone.
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that → find → zone
But Michigan caught a break.
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Michigan → catch → break
Upon review, it was found that there was still one second left on the clock.
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it → find → clock
It was a controversial call, to say the least.
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It → say → least
The decision left just enough time for the Wolverines to get a snap off, with Underwood connecting with Buchanan for a touchdown and a 13-12 Michigan win.
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Underwood → leave → win
He also rushed for 46 yards and one touchdown.
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He → rush → yards
That's a maiden win for the Kyle Whittingham era in Ann Arbor, and surely no one saw it looking like that.
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it → see → that
We're barely into the college football season, and we already have a classic (with a bit of controversy mixed in to boot).
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we → have → controversy
Things will not get any easier for the Wolverines, as their next game will be on Sept. 12 when they welcome the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners to the Big House.
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they → get → House
The Aporia
