Michigan’s Hail Mary Win Over Western Michigan Is Final — And Here’s Why It Can’t Be Changed

Michigan’s 13-12 victory over Western Michigan on Sept. 9 at Michigan Stadium will stand, no matter how controversial the ending was. The Wolverines escaped when quarterback Bryce Underwood connected with receiver JJ Buchanan on a last-second Hail Mary — a play that only existed because officials restored one second to the game clock after a previous Hail Mary attempt appeared to expire as time ran out.

The Clock Controversy

The ruling drew immediate pushback from NBC rules analyst Terry McAaulay, who said the broadcast’s in-stadium clock showed the ball hitting the ground well after zero. He noted the television clock was synchronized with the stadium clock, while the officials’ Hawk-Eye system apparently used a different synchronization and produced the one-second ruling.

Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor acknowledged after the game that he saw the clock reach zero before his players touched the pass, but praised the officiating crew’s handling of other close calls during the night and deferred the matter to the conference office.

Can the Result Be Overturned?

Under the NCAA’s 2026 football rulebook — Rule 1, Section 1, Article 3, paragraph b — once the referee declares the game ended, the score is final. There is no protest mechanism that would allow the outcome to be reversed on the field.

Western Michigan president Russ Kavalhuna said the school intends to raise the play with the NCAA, while conceding that options are limited. “This football team deserves a second look, if that’s possible,” he said. The only realistic path to erasing the result would be a later NCAA ruling vacating the win for a rules violation — and even then, the game would not be awarded to the Broncos as a victory.

Media Spotlight on the Ruling

The incident comes at a time when officiating scrutiny in college football is under a national microscope, and broadcast networks increasingly put rules analysts on air in real time. NBC, the game’s broadcaster, is part of Comcast Corporation (CMCSA), whose shares closed at $26.49 on the day, down 0.64% from the prior close of $26.66, giving the media and telecom company a market capitalization of roughly $94.4 billion. High-profile officiating debates like this one now unfold instantly across network broadcasts and streaming platforms, amplifying pressure on conferences and the NCAA to explain timing and review procedures.

For now, the NCAA framework leaves the referees’ on-field determination standing, even if technology suggests a different reading of the final second.

What to watch

• Whether Western Michigan formally raises the timing of the final play with the conference commissioner or NCAA, and any response from those bodies.
• Any officiating clarifications or timing-synchronization changes announced by the Big Ten or NCAA in the coming weeks.
• Both teams’ next scheduled games, where the aftermath of the finish will likely draw further attention.

Source: original release