NCAA Confirms Replay Protocol Breach in Michigan-Western Michigan Game

The NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee announced that the instant-replay procedures were not followed during the final play of the September 5 contest between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the Western Michigan Broncos. The game ended 13-12 after Michigan’s quarterback Bryce Underwood completed a Hail Mary pass on a play that should have been reviewed under proper protocol.

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In a written statement, the oversight committee said it consulted with national officiating leadership and concluded that the replay official’s decision to add one second to the clock after Underwood’s first attempt was incomplete violated the established replay rules. The committee noted that, had the correct protocol been applied, the outcome of the game would have been different. However, the NCAA reiterated that its playing rules do not permit overturning a final result once a referee declares the contest complete, and the oversight committee lacks authority to change the score.

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Western Michigan and the Mid-American Conference, which initially accepted the Big Ten’s explanation of the ending, have joined Michigan in requesting that the result be overturned. The NCAA’s refusal to alter the result leaves the Wolverines, now ranked No. 19, with the win, while Western Michigan’s appeal highlights concerns about consistency in replay enforcement across conferences.

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• Final score: Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12

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• Critical play: Hail Mary pass completed after the replay official added one second to the clock

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• Date of game: September 5

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The committee’s acknowledgment of the procedural error underscores ongoing debates about replay oversight, but the existing rules keep the result unchanged.

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