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Big Ten disputes Michigan game clock
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Big Ten added one second to the clock, letting Michigan throw a Hail Mary to beat.
The disputed call sparked claims of rigging and a week of debate over the.
Background
With seven seconds left, Michigan trailed Western Michigan 12-7. Bryce Underwood's Hail Mary fell incomplete as the clock hit zero, but officials reviewed and added one second, ruling that a Western Michigan defender touched the ball out of bounds with one second left. Michigan then scored on the next play to win 13-12, sparking controversy.
How it unfolded
- Sep 5, 2026Michigan trailed Western Michigan 12-7. With seven seconds left, Bryce Underwood threw a Hail Mary that fell incomplete as time expired.
- Sep 5, 2026Officials reviewed the play and added one second to the clock, ruling that a Western Michigan defender touched the ball out of bounds with one second remaining.
- Sep 5, 2026On the replayed final snap, Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown, giving Michigan a 13-12 win.
- Sep 6, 2026The Big Ten issued a statement standing by the review, and the MAC commissioner said the conference sought and received clarification.
Who’s saying what
- Big Ten
- The Big Ten stood by the review, stating that Western Michigan's No. 18 started his jump from an out-of-bounds position and made contact with the ball with one second remaining.
- Critics
- Broadcast rules analyst Terry McAuley and others argued the ball was clearly still in the air when the clock hit zero, questioning how the officials arrived at one second.
- Public
- Fans and analysts like Chris Fallica and Donovan Mitchell expressed disbelief, with some accusing the Big Ten of rigging the game for a conference team.
Still unverified
Allegations that the Big Ten intentionally added time to favor Michigan are unconfirmed and disputed by the conference.