Michigan’s Hail Mary Win Over Western Michigan Is Final — and NCAA Rules Say It Stays That Way

Western Michigan’s football team left Michigan Stadium on the wrong end of a 13-12 score Saturday after a disputed final-second Hail Mary from Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood to receiver JJ Buchanan — and under NCAA rules, there is no pathway to changing the outcome on the field.

The controversy centers on timing. Underwood’s first Hail Mary attempt appeared to sail out of the end zone as the game clock expired, but officials restored one second to the clock, giving Michigan one more play. That play ended with Buchanan’s catch and a one-point Wolverine victory in Ann Arbor.

NBC’s broadcast rules analyst questioned the restoration of time on air, noting that the network’s in-stadium clock appeared to reach zero before the ball touched a player on the earlier attempt. He suggested the stadium’s Hawk-Eye timing system may have been synchronized differently, producing the one-second ruling. NBC, the game’s broadcaster, is part of the media portfolio of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), whose shares closed at $26.49, down 0.64% from the prior close of $26.66, valuing the telecommunications and media company at roughly $94.38 billion.

The NCAA’s rulebook offers little room for recourse. Rule 1, Section 1, Article 3, paragraph (b) states that once the referee declares the game ended, the score is final. The only mechanism that could erase Michigan’s win would be a later NCAA ruling vacating the result due to a rules violation — and even then, Western Michigan would not be credited with a victory.

Broncos coach Lance Taylor declined to inflame the situation after the game, praising the officiating crew’s handling of numerous close calls and reviews throughout the night, several of which went Western Michigan’s way. He acknowledged he believed the clock had passed zero before his defense touched the ball on the first attempt, but said he was confident his players could defend a second Hail Mary — which ultimately did not go the Broncos’ way.

Western Michigan president Russ Kavalhuna told reporters the school plans to raise the play with the NCAA and conference officials, while conceding that few options exist. He argued the team deserved a second look, even if a formal review is unlikely to change anything.

What to watch

• Whether the Mid-American Conference or NCAA issues any public statement on the clock management in response to Western Michigan’s outreach.
• Western Michigan’s next scheduled game, as the Broncos look to move past the one-point loss.
• Michigan’s continued season under quarterback Bryce Underwood following the dramatic finish.
• Any postgame officiating evaluations or assignments related to the crew from Saturday’s contest.

Source: original release