Michigan's controversial win just forced an NCAA replay change. Now the MAC wants more

The controversial ending of the Western Michigan-Michigan game Saturday, Sept. 5, is causing the NCAA to change its review process.

According to a memo obtained by USA TODAY Sports, the NCAA is implementing a more standardized process for replay reviews involving game-clock adjustments. The NCAA clarified the stadium clock remains the official game clock while establishing a uniform replay protocol that relies on embedded broadcast timing data when officials need to restore or adjust time.

The clarification stems from the final sequence of Michigan’s season-opening victory in coach Kyle Whittingham’s debut.

Western Michigan appeared poised for a stunning 12-7 upset when Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood launched a Hail Mary into the end zone as time expired.

However, replay officials determined a Western Michigan defender who had stepped out of bounds was the first player to touch the ball. Under NCAA rules, the clock should have stopped the moment he touched it.

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After reviewing multiple synchronized timing feeds, the Big Ten replay crew concluded one second remained on the clock and awarded Michigan a final play.

On that extra snap, Underwood connected on another Hail Mary, turning an apparent defeat into a dramatic 13-12 walk-off victory.

The decision sparked days of controversy, with critics questioning which clock should have been considered official and whether replay officials correctly applied the timing rules. The NCAA’s new guidance appears designed to eliminate similar confusion in future end-of-game reviews.

On Tuesday, the MAC reversed course after originally accepting the Big Ten’s explanation for adding more time on the clock. In Tuesday’s statement, the MAC claimed Big Ten officials and the replay booth didn’t use the proper protocol when adding one second of clock back to the game.

“As a result, the Mid-American Conference has submitted formal appeals to the NCAA FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff,” MAC commissioner John Steinbrecher said in the statement. “The MAC is requesting that those bodies recognize Western Michigan as the actual winner of the game for purposes of their respective rankings, evaluations and selection deliberations, and take such other corrective action as may be within their authority.”

“Recognizing that replay technology and available broadcast resources may vary among institutions, conferences, and game sites, it is necessary to establish a standard timing protocol that ensures consistency in the administration of all college football games. The official time for all college football games is the time displayed on the in-stadium game clock. If the stadium clock becomes inoperable, the official time will be maintained on the field by a designated game official.

“When a replay review requires time to be restored or otherwise adjusted, the replay official’s decision will be based on the embedded game clock contained within the program feed. 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. Moving forward, this timing protocol should be followed consistently at all institutions and game sites.”

“Recognizing that replay technology and available broadcast resources may vary among institutions, conferences, and game sites, it is necessary to establish a standard timing protocol that ensures consistency in the administration of all college football games. The official time for all college football games is the time displayed on the in-stadium game clock. If the stadium clock becomes inoperable, the official time will be maintained on the field by a designated game official.

“When a replay review requires time to be restored or otherwise adjusted, the replay official’s decision will be based on the embedded game clock contained within the program feed. 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. Moving forward, this timing protocol should be followed consistently at all institutions and game sites.”

The NCAA is not eliminating replay’s ability to restore time. Instead, it is creating a clearer, nationwide standard for how replay officials determine timing during reviews, reducing the likelihood of future controversies over which clock or timing source should be considered authoritative.

But for Western Michigan, it’s too little, too late.