Michigan defeated Western Michigan 13-12 on Saturday night with a last-second Hail Mary touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan. The clock had initially expired, but officials ruled there was still one second left to play, allowing for the game-winning throw. This marked a potential upset for the Broncos, who kicked four field goals and forced three turnovers against heavily favored Michigan. Western Michigan has never beaten a top 20 team in the Associated Press poll since joining major college football in 1962.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 10, 2023, the Michigan Wolverines played against Western Michigan Broncos in a college football game. The Broncos thought they had won with a 13-12 score when Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood's first Hail Mary attempt sailed out of bounds with zero seconds remaining on the clock. However, officials reviewed the play and added one second back to the clock, giving Michigan another chance at a game-winning score.
Underwood threw a second Hail Mary, which was caught by JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown pass, securing a 13-12 victory for the Wolverines. The decision sparked controversy, with many questioning why officials added time back on the clock and whether it was fair to give Michigan another chance at winning.
The Big Ten Conference stood behind the decision, citing a rule that stops the clock when contact is made with the ball from an out-of-bounds position. However, some analysts and referees disputed this explanation, calling it a "pile of garbage" and criticizing the Big Ten league office for their handling of the situation.
This incident has been compared to Michigan's 2007 upset loss to Appalachian State, which was one of the biggest upsets in college football history. The controversy surrounding the game's ending has left players, fans, and officials puzzled, with many questioning the fairness of the decision.
Written for “Michigan Clock Controversy” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 5505 · logged 2026-09-06
Given an unlikely second chance at a game-ending Hail Mary, Bryce Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown pass that lifted No 16 Michigan over Western Michigan 13-12 on Saturday night.
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that → give → night
The Broncos thought they’d secured a historic upset when Underwood’s first Hail Mary sailed out of bounds with the clock expired.
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clock → think → bounds
WMU players were already on the field celebrating when officials called for a review.
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officials → celebrate → review
TV replays showed the clock hitting zero before the ball hit the hands of a Western Michigan defender, but officials ruled there was a second still to play.
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officials → show → defender
“I was pretty sure there was one second left,” Whittingham said.
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Whittingham → be → ?
Underwood heaved another throw, and Buchanan leaped to snag it and came down with it in the end zone.
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Buchanan → heave → zone
“One for the history books right here,” Whittingham said.
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Whittingham → say → books
Western Michigan was threatening to hand Michigan perhaps its biggest upset since a season-opening loss to Appalachian State in 2007, when the Wolverines were 33-point favorites.
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Wolverines → threaten → 2007
The Broncos kicked four field goals and forced three turnovers, including a late fumble by Underwood.
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Broncos → kick → Underwood
WMU went ahead for the first time early in the fourth quarter on Dieter Kelly’s 39-yard field goal that capped a 20-play drive that took 13:40 off the clock.
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that → go → clock
Underwood lost a fumble at his 31 with 1:50 left after throwing an interception in the first half and nearly getting picked off two more times.
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Underwood → lose → half
“There was not hooting and hollering in the locker room because we have a lot of work to do,” Whittingham said.
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Whittingham → be → work
Kelly, a junior-college transfer from College of San Mateo, made his fourth field goal with 35 seconds left to force the Wolverines to score a touchdown to win – and they did in dramatic fashion.
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they → make → fashion
Western Michigan, which has played major college football since 1962 in the Mid-American Conference, has never beaten an opponent in the top 20 of the Associated Press poll.
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which → play → poll
