A last-second miracle kept Michigan from taking one of the most humiliating losses in recent memory, but it did nothing to hide how shaky Kyle Whittingham’s team looked against Western Michigan.
Michigan was staring at disaster when the game hit what appeared to be triple zero on the broadcast. Then officials put one second back on the clock, giving Bryce Underwood one more shot. He launched a 47-yard pass into the air, and JJ Buchanan - all 6-foot-4 of him - went up and snagged it.
Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12.
That catch wiped out what had been a program-defining win for Western Michigan and turned the final moment into the kind of ending people will argue about for days. For Michigan, it was relief more than celebration.
Whittingham didn’t try to dress it up after the game. Looking a little lost amid the reaction to the finish, he said: "We got a lot of work to do. We have a lot of work to do."
And the numbers around the game back up the feeling. The Underwood-to-Buchanan touchdown was the only Michigan play longer than 16 yards all night. A team that entered as a 27.5-point favorite spent most of the night looking flat, and by the end it had the feel of the most fraudulent team in the AP Top 25.
The win came, but it left behind a much bigger question about a 66-year-old coach whose team escaped with a result that hardly felt like one.
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Tennessee Fans Still Found A Way To Keep Game Day Tradition Alive
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It was the most sacks by a Tennessee player in a single game since 2018, a noteworthy marker even against an overmatched opponent. More importantly for the Volunteers, Gilliams arrival added a new layer to the defensive line conversation and hinted at what kind of identity Jim Knowles may be trying to build on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has An Early O-Line Concern Before Georgia Tech
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Josh Heupel said Pendleton is expected to be ready for the next game against Georgia Tech, which should ease the immediate concern for a line that needs stability early in the year. Even with Moores solid outing, the Vols will be watching closely to see how quickly Pendleton gets back into rhythm, because center is one of the spots where timing and communication matter as much as raw talent. [Read more 🡒]