We all know Western Michigan had a 12-7 lead with seven seconds remaining, and facing 2nd &10 at the Bronco 47 yard-line. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood heaved to the endzone, and ended up throwing through the endzone, where a Western Michigan player caught the pass beyond the boundary. The clock on TV and in the stadium read 0:00, and the Broncos had the biggest win in program history.
Then the Big 10 officiating crew decided there was still one second left, giving Michigan new life. Underwood hit JJ Buchanan at the goalline for the game-winning score, and the largest heist in college football history.
The officials indicated the clock they use with the replay system was not in sync with the clock in the stadium. The rule is that the clock that the public can see in the stadium is to be the official clock used. While the official time is kept by the officials in the replay booth, it is their responsibility to have the in-house clock updated to reflect this at all times.
The officials indicated the clock they use with the replay system was not in sync with the clock in the stadium. The rule is that the clock that the public can see in the stadium is to be the official clock used. While the official time is kept by the officials in the replay booth, it is their responsibility to have the in-house clock updated to reflect this at all times.
Michigan is a college football blue blood, and has a massive payroll trying to get back to the caliber that won them a National Championship three years ago. Western Michigan often collects the scraps that transfer out from Michigan and Michigan State. The Wolverines were ranked 16th in the preseason Associate Press poll, but the Broncos were the preseason favorites to win the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos will likely play in a postseason bowl game, while Michigan may have some serious growing pains under first year head coach Kyle Whittingham.
This is in no way indicative of how Saturday’s result would be a catalyst for the rest of their seasons. That being said, good on MAC Commissioner John Steinbrecher for filing a formal complaint with not only the Football Bowl Subdivision (it’s STILL I-A folks) Oversight Committee, but the College Football Playoff committee to have the results of the game overturned. The evidence is clear that Western Michigan had a win taken away with no time on the clock.
On Sunday Western Michigan and the MAC Conference originally accepted the explanation given by the officiating crew, but when every national media outlet are all in agreement that they had a victory taken away, the $1.5 million that Michigan paid the Broncos to come to Ann Arbor now seems more like a bribe than justice. Just because Michigan hosts Oklahoma at The Big House on Saturday in a massive non-conference matchup does not mean the previously mentioned committees could not count the victory against Michigan if they do not have the balls to rightfully overturn the result.
I can assure you that this game will certainly come back into discussion if Michigan has a decent enough season to contend for an at-large berth in the playoffs. Not many are expecting this, considering the school reportedly paid Underwood $10 million for that performance on Saturday. Underwood was 12-for-22 for 170 yards, one interception, and the touchdown to Buchanan that should not have counted. He also rushed nine times for 47 yards, including Michigan’s other touchdown on the afternoon.
The 110,879 sellout crowd stormed the field after final play…why? Are Michigan students that depraved to celebrate a win over a team they should have beaten by 20 points? Ohio State fans may be the most abhorrent and entitled in all of college football, but they would never storm the field after knocking off Akron, Kent State, or Cincinnati.
Despite the win, the AP dropped Michigan completely out of the Top 25 going into the Saturday showdown with the Sooners, landing Michigan at #28. Western Michigan actually received 12 votes, putting them at #32 in the country.
Waldo’s Campus Tavern in Kalamazoo already has a yellow banner hanging over the front door with “12-7” printed in bold brown letters, the Broncos colors. On either side of the banner is a picture clearly showing all zeroes on the stadium clock, and the ball being touched by their defender out of the back of the endzone, and the clock is circled in yellow in the lower left corner. Fans surely will not forget, and neither will the players who may make examples of their opponents once MAC conference play starts in a few weeks. Imagine the irony if Western Michigan becomes the Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff this winter.
A loss on the score sheet still ends up being a win in the eyes of the committee that still cannot figure out a proper selection and seeding process for the one trophy the NCAA does not award.
-JC24
-JC24