Michigan wins on second-chance Hail Mary; Big Ten stands by review
No. 16 Michigan escaped Western Michigan 13–12 in one of the wildest finishes of the 2026 college football season.
🏈 What happened?
- Michigan appeared to lose when Bryce Underwood’s first Hail Mary fell incomplete as the clock showed 0:00.
- A replay review determined that Western Michigan’s Micah Davis touched the ball while out of bounds with 1 second remaining.
- Officials restored one second to the clock.
- On the second attempt, Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown, giving Michigan the 13–12 victory.
⏱️ Why was it controversial?
The Big Ten defended the ruling, saying the review used the stadium clock and determined that one second remained when Davis made contact with the ball.
However, the NBC broadcast clock appeared to show 0:00, creating questions about clock synchronization and the replay process.
📌 Final score
Michigan 13 – 12 Western Michigan
Western Michigan later said it would not appeal the result, while acknowledging concerns about the transparency of the review.
Bottom line: Michigan got an extraordinary second chance—and Buchanan’s 47-yard Hail Mary turned that opportunity into a dramatic victory.
