MAC appeals to have Western Michigan ruled winner over Michigan
The gist
The Mid-American Conference asked the NCAA and College Football Playoff to recognize Western Michigan as the winner of its Sept. 5 game at Michigan.
The appeal follows a restored one second and a 47-yard Michigan touchdown as time expired.
How it unfolded
- Sep 5, 2026Michigan beat Western Michigan after replay officials restored one second and Bryce Underwood threw a 47-yard game-winning touchdown to JJ Buchanan as time expired; WMU fell to 0-9 all time against Michigan.
- Sep 8, 2026The Mid-American Conference appealed the outcome, asking the NCAA and College Football Playoff to recognize Western Michigan as the winner, with commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher saying replay protocol was not properly followed.
- Oct 17, 2026Central Michigan hosted Western Michigan in the Battle for the Victory Cannon Trophy game, a 1:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN+ in Mount Pleasant.
Key terms
- Mid-American Conference
- A collegiate athletic conference in the Great Lakes region whose members compete in NCAA Division I.
- NCAA
- The rules determining whether a student athlete may compete in NCAA college sports.
- College Football Playoff
- An annual single-elimination tournament determining the national champion of NCAA Division I FBS college football.
Source: Wikipedia