Western Michigan looked like it had pulled off the upset, only for the ending to turn into a mess that left the Broncos empty-handed and the Big Ten with plenty to explain.
Michigan escaped with a 13-12 win on a Hail Mary after the clock had apparently expired, a finish that immediately set off outrage. Fans were already reacting to what looked like a Western Michigan victory, and the sequence at the end only deepened the frustration: after time had run out, officials somehow put a second back on the clock and gave Michigan one more snap.
The key moment came after Bryce Underwood threw a bad pass out of bounds. A Western Michigan defender caught the ball after coming from out of bounds, which would stop the clock. But there was no time showing when the ball hit his hands, and under the rules, that should have ended the game right there.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAuley agreed the game should have been over at that point. He said he was baffled that the officials reviewed the play and put a second back on the clock, and added that the Big Ten would need to explain the decision.
That ending overshadowed what had already been a rough night for the officiating crew. They missed a clear facemask on Michigan on Western Michigan’s final drive, and they also missed a clear running-into-the-kicker penalty that would have put the Broncos in field goal range after they punted.
The result spared Michigan from what would have been its worst home loss since 2007. Instead, Western Michigan walked away with the feeling that the game had been taken from it.
For Ohio State fans, the bizarre finish to Michigan’s opener still didn’t erase what happened in Columbus. The Buckeyes had no trouble with Ball State, rolling to a 56-3 win in a game that was never in doubt.
Michigan’s win may have kept the Wolverines from a stunning upset loss, but it didn’t exactly inspire confidence. The source of concern remains the same: they could lose to Oklahoma next week, and they do not look ready for a team on Ohio State’s level. That late-November meeting in Columbus could be ugly.
Now the Big Ten is left with the spotlight. Ohio State fans will be waiting for an explanation on Sunday or Monday, and the officiating crew should have one too. After what happened here, there’s at least a real argument that this ending should have been reversed.
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