Western Michigan HC Lance Taylor Disputes Final Second in Michigan Loss

Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor believes the clock had already expired before officials restored one second and gave Michigan the opportunity to complete its game-winning Hail Mary.

The Broncos appeared to have secured a 12-7 upset of No. 16 Michigan when Bryce Underwood’s desperation pass fell incomplete in the end zone. After a replay review, however, officials put one second back on the clock. Underwood then connected with JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown, giving Michigan a stunning 13-12 victory.

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Taylor said afterward that he had not yet watched the television replay, but what he saw from the sideline left him believing the game was over.

“I know when I looked up at the clock, it was past zeroes before we touched it,” Taylor said after the game.

“I know when I looked up at the clock, it was past zeroes before we touched it,” Taylor said after the game.

Taylor did not turn the disputed finish into an attack on the officiating crew. In fact, he credited the officials for their work throughout a game that included several replay reviews. His larger message was that Western Michigan still had an opportunity to respond once the second was restored.

The Broncos simply did not finish the job.

Western Michigan’s defense had forced three Michigan turnovers and kept the Wolverines scoreless from their opening touchdown until the final play. The Broncos held a five-point lead with 38 seconds remaining before Underwood and Buchanan produced the improbable finish.

Michigan’s victory immediately became one of the most controversial finishes of the opening college football weekend. The Big Ten later explained that replay officials used synchronized stadium-clock footage to determine that a Western Michigan player had established himself out of bounds before touching the loose ball with one second remaining.

We covered Michigan’s last-second Hail Mary victory immediately after the finish, while the Wolverines entered the opener with several important questions surrounding Kyle Whittingham’s debut.

For Michigan, that difference was enough to turn a stunning loss into a 1-0 start.