Big Ten attempts to explain officiating review in Michigan's controversial Hail Mary win over WMU

Officials added the second after reviewing an incomplete Hail Mary attempt from Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood that sailed behind the end zone and out of bounds. In NBC’s televised replay, the network’s game clock graphic showed zeroes as the first player touched the incomplete pass, presumably ending the game.

However, NBC’s replay was apparently not in sync with the actual game clock that officials in the Big Ten replay center used in its review, according to video the Big Ten released at 12:48 a.m. ET Sunday.

The league distributed a statement as well as audio and video of replay officials inside the Big Ten replay center in Chicago discussing the play and determining the ruling. The video that officials used showed one second on the clock when Western Michigan safety Micah Davis touched the ball out of the back of the end zone.

Clock graphics used on broadcasts do not always match the stadium clock as they are shot by a camera and then projected into an on-screen graphic. NBC officiating analyst Terry McAulay suggested this live during the broadcast.

“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 block, using a direct shot of the game block in the stadium, was used to determine the final ruling,” the Big Ten’s statement read.

In the case of Saturday’s play, the television clock potentially being a half-second off from the game clock made a difference.

Terry McAulay: “The ball isn’t even close to touching a player when it goes to zero… Their Hawk-Eye system apparently had a different sync… I don’t see how that happened, assuming our clock is correct… The ball is clearly still in the air when the clock goes to zero…” https://t.co/Krz3Dg5HTFpic.twitter.com/IcMjvHYaUo

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 6, 2026

As the stadium clock struck zeroes on the penultimate play, Western Michigan players burst into celebration before coach Lance Taylor and staff corralled them back on the sideline for the review. A couple of minutes later, officials announced that one second would be put on the clock.

Underwood took the snap and, this time, tossed his Hail Mary toward the goal line and into the outstretched arms of receiver JJ Buchanan, who fell into the end zone to elicit the unexpected: Michigan fans storming the field after beating their little in-state brother.

Another rarity unfolded minutes later, when Western Michigan president Russ Kavalhuna took the podium during the Broncos’ postgame news conference to field questions about the end of the game.

“This football team deserves a second look if that’s possible,” Kavalhuna said.

His coach spoke to the media beforehand in a calm and composed manner. At the time of his news conference, Taylor said he had not seen video of the replay, but he had already received communication from MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher and expected to remain in contact with him.

In a statement, Steinbrecher said the league sought clarification on the play from the Big Ten, which provided video and audio of the replay that “confirmed the explanation provided to us.”

“We can’t control if there’s a second left on the clock or not,” Taylor said after the game. “We went out the first time and defended perfectly. The Hail Mary situation, I thought our guys did an excellent job [on the penultimate play]. When I looked at the clock, it was past zero before we touched [the ball]. I knew they would review it because it was the last play of the game. We did not defend it as well the second time.”

Heartbreak for the Broncos was relief for Kyle Whittingham’s Wolverines in his debut as head coach.

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p style=”text-align:left”>”The extra second was huge,” he said. “As I watched the first Hail Mary end and the ball sail out of the back of the end zone, as I glanced at the clock, I was pretty certain there was one second on the clock. … This game will go down in Michigan history.”