Replay protocols not followed in Michigan-Western Michigan game, NCAA committee says

An NCAA football committee says that while it cannot overturn Western Michigan's loss to Michigan earlier this month, it acknowledges the game would have had a different outcome if replay protocols were followed.

The Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee released a statement on Wednesday after receiving a letter from the Mid-American Conference appealing Michigan's 13-12 victory on Sept. 5. The committee said it consulted with the national officiating leadership and agreed that "the instant replay protocols were not followed in the contest's second-to-last play."

Despite this conclusion, the football oversight committee confirmed that it does not have the authority to overturn the win, citing two NCAA football rules:

• Rule 1-1-3-b: When the referee declares that the game is ended, the score is final.  
• Rule 5-2-9: No rule decision may be changed after the ball is next legally snapped, legally free-kicked or the second or fourth periods have ended. 

"Had the protocols been followed, the outcome of the game would have been different," the committee said.

The committee said the NCAA secretary rules editor for football, Matt Young, issued guidance days after the game, stating that a replay official's decision will be based on "the embedded game clock contained within the program." 

"If the broadcaster is unable to provide an embedded game clock, the replay official will use the game-clock graphic displayed as part of the broadcast feed."

The Wolverines won on a Hail Mary play after the replay officials put one second back on the clock. Beforehand, quarterback Bryce Underwood threw the first Hail Mary, but it was incomplete. Western Michigan was leading 12-7 and had begun celebrating, but officials called for a review despite the broadcast showing the clock hitting zero. 

After putting one second back on the clock, quarterback Bryce Underwood threw the second Hail Mary, with JJ Buchanan catching it for a 47-yard touchdown. This gave Michigan the victory, although TV commentators argued that the game had ended after Underwood's first Hail Mary, which would've given Western Michigan the win.

In response, the MAC filed an appeal, seeking to have the Broncos declared the winners. However, the NCAA said the result would stand, noting its playing rules do not have a protocol for overturning the outcome of a game. The Big Ten later said the official's call was correct, saying that there was one second left on the clock when Western Michigan touched the ball out of bounds. The conference posted a video of the clock during the play on social media.

Michigan later beat Oklahoma 17-10 in Week 2 to remain undefeated. Meanwhile, WMU dominated in the next game, defeating Monmouth 49-14.