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· collected 2026-09-06 · by Ryan Gaydos
The Western Michigan Broncos played against the Michigan Wolverines at the Big House in Ann Arbor on Saturday night, with the final score being 13-12 in favor of Michigan. According to a statement from the Big Ten Conference, officials determined that there was one second left on the clock after reviewing video footage, which led to Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood getting another chance to throw a Hail Mary pass and scoring the game-winning touchdown. The controversy surrounding the clock has left players, fans, and analysts puzzled, with Western Michigan thinking they had won the game when the TV scorebug showed triple zeroes on the clock. The Big Ten Conference released a statement explaining their decision, citing NCAA Football rule 4-2-3-a to justify stopping the clock after one second was remaining.
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.
It’s a word that could either describe the last month of the college football offseason or the last 10 months of the Michigan Wolverines’ football program.
uncertain
that → ’ → program
Saturday night’s game underscored the point as the Wolverines, somehow, walked out of the Big House with a victory, while their opponents, the Western Michigan Broncos, were left asking: What the heck just happened?
asserted
heck → underscore → victory
It was supposed to be clean air and blue skies for Michigan coming into the first week of the 2026 season.
asserted
It → suppose → season
Kyle Whittingham was set to erase any talk of what the Wolverines’ offseason was all about – dealing with the fallout of the Sherrone Moore scandal.
asserted
offseason → set → scandal
Saturday night represented the perfect opportunity to do that.
asserted
night → represent → that
Western Michigan thought they were going to leave Ann Arbor with a massive upset victory.
asserted
they → think → victory
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood tried a last-second heave to reach the end zone and win the game on a Hail Mary throw.
asserted
Underwood → try → throw
His pass sailed through the back of the end zone.
asserted
pass → sail → zone
The Broncos started to celebrate.
asserted
Broncos → start → ?
Officials on the field called for a review.
asserted
Officials → call → review
It already seemed as though the game was over.
asserted
game → seem → ?
Those watching the game at home saw the clock hit triple zeroes.
asserted
clock → watch → zeroes
The ball seemingly hit the hand of a Western Michigan defender when the TV scorebug saw the zeroes on the clock.
asserted
scorebug → hit → clock
But after conferring, officials determined there was one second left on the clock.
asserted
officials → confer → clock
"I definitely thought the game was over because there were zeroes on the clock," Underwood said.
asserted
Underwood → think → clock
Instead, Underwood got one more chance to fire up a Hail Mary pass.
asserted
Underwood → get → pass
J.J. Buchanan came down with the ball and scored the game-winning 47-yard touchdown.
asserted
Buchanan → come → touchdown
Michigan won the game, 13-12.
asserted
Michigan → win → game
"One for the history books right here," Whittingham said.
asserted
Whittingham → say → books
So, what happened?
asserted
what → happen → ?
The Big Ten Conference released a statement, backing up the officials’ decision.
asserted
Conference → release → decision
"Following video review, it was determined Western Michigan’s #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.
asserted
# → follow → clock
As shown in the provided video of what was viewed during the replay process, a side-by-side view of the play and the game clock, using a direct shot of the game clock in the stadium, was used to determine the final ruling.
asserted
view → show → ruling
"Eighty-five minutes prior to the game, all broadcast cameras used for the replay system, including the camera on the game clock, are synced using a strobe system to ensure all cameras are aligned.
asserted
cameras → use → system
"Per NCAA Football rule 4-2-3-a, ‘A ball not in player control, other than a kick that scores a field goal, is out of bounds when it touches the ground, a player, a game official or anything else that is out-of-bound, or that is on or outside a boundary line.’
asserted
that → score → line
and thus the clock is stopped."
The Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher also released a statement on the issue.
"Upon the conclusion of the Western Michigan-Michigan football game, the Mid-American Conference and Western Michigan contacted the Big Ten office to seek clarification regarding the replay review and the placement of time back on the game clock," he said.
asserted
he → stop → clock
"The Big Ten explained that the ball touched a player who was out of bounds before the clock reached 00:00, resulting in one additional play being awarded.
asserted
play → explain → 00:00
The Big Ten subsequently provided video and audio of the play, which confirmed the explanation provided to us.
asserted
which → provide → us
I commend Western Michigan for an outstanding effort and a well-played game and I offer my congratulations to Michigan.
asserted
I → commend → Michigan
"I also appreciate the collaborative efforts of the Big Ten office and its prompt response in reviewing the play and providing the requested clarification.
asserted
I → appreciate → clarification
"Talking to a producer and he tells us our in-set clock is in sync – is the actual stadium clock," McAulay said.
asserted
McAulay → talk → sync
"The ball isn't even close to touching a player when it goes to zero.
asserted
it → touch → zero
Their Hawk-Eye system either had a different sync or whatever, and they came up with one second when it touched the players.
asserted
it → have → players
"I don't see how that happened, assuming our clock is correct.
asserted
clock → see → ?
The ball is clearly still in the air when the clock goes to zero on our screens."
asserted
clock → go → screens
Western Michigan’s hopes were shattered and players looked a bit shell-shocked on the sideline.
asserted
players → shatter → sideline
College football fans watching at home were confused.
asserted
fans → watch → home
"Sick to my stomach is the way I explain my feelings about that game," Western Michigan defensive end Dom Nichols said.
asserted
Nichols → explain → game
Michigan avoided its biggest upset since losing to Appalachian State at the beginning of the 2007 season.
asserted
Michigan → avoid → season
Western Michigan has never beaten an opponent in the top 20 of the Associated Press poll.
asserted
Michigan → beat → poll
…and 1 more, not listed.
