Michigan’s first game under head football coach Kyle Whittingham ended in controversy Saturday night, with the Wolverines beating Western Michigan 13-12 on a Hail Mary after officials put one second on the clock following a replay review.
The Big Ten released a statement early Sunday explaining why the final play unfolded as it did, with a second restored to the game clock.
The conference said the replay showed Western Michigan defensive back No. 18 touched Bryce Underwood’s first Hail Mary attempt while established out of bounds with one second remaining.
“Following video review, it was determined Western Michigan’s #18 started his jump from an established out-of-bounds position (left foot) and made contact with the ball with one second remaining on the clock,” the Big Ten said. “As shown in the provided video of what was viewed during the replay process, a side-by-side view of the play and the game clock, using a direct shot of the game clock in the stadium, was used to determine the final ruling.”
Explained the Big Ten: “Eighty-five minutes prior to the game, all broadcast cameras used for the replay system, including the camera on the game clock, are synced using a strobe system to ensure all cameras are aligned.
“Per NCAA Football rule 4-2-3-a, ‘A ball not in player control, other than a kick that scores a field goal, is out of bounds when it touches the ground, a player, a game official or anything else that is out-of-bound, or that is on or outside a boundary line,’ and thus the clock is stopped.”
The decision drew immediate scrutiny because the television broadcast appeared to show the clock reaching 0:00 while the ball was still in the air.
The conference’s explanation was supported by the Mid-American Conference, of which Western Michigan is a member, with the MAC releasing its own statement. Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said the MAC and Western Michigan contacted the Big Ten for clarification and reviewed the replay materials.
“The Big Ten subsequently provided video and audio of the replay, which confirmed the explanation to us,” Steinbrecher said.
Michigan used the restored second to win the game as Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan on a 47-yard Hail Mary, giving the Wolverines a 13-12 victory and sending fans onto the field at Michigan Stadium.
The Wolverines are next in action on Saturday, when they host the Oklahoma Sooners at Noon ET.
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