Kyle Whittingham’s Michigan debut was supposed to be a tense introduction to a new chapter. Instead, it turned into one of the wildest endings college football has seen in a long time.
Michigan escaped Western Michigan, 13-12, on Saturday night after officials put one second back on the clock following a final Hail Mary that initially appeared to end the game. That extra tick changed everything. Bryce Underwood then hit JJ Buchanan - the former Utah player who followed Whittingham to Michigan - on a 47-yard touchdown to steal the win.
At first, it looked like Western Michigan had survived. Michigan’s final heave fell incomplete, and the clock showed zero. Then came the review, the added second, and the play that detonated the entire night into controversy.
The reaction was immediate and loud.
Officials put 1 second on the clock to set up Michigan’s game-winning play.
Replay shows the game clock at zero as the ball remains in the air, untouched by any players. https://t.co/2CMSgr9WrB pic.twitter.com/vHqY3J1FWb
- Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 6, 2026
🙌 pic.twitter.com/7fBxrBtA2B
- Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) September 6, 2026
NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay on Western Michigan-Michigan ending: "The Big Ten is going to have to tell a lot of us how did they get to (add) 1 second on this play."
- Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 6, 2026
Good job by NBC bringing officiating expert Terry McAulay back on the air to say the only explanation for putting a second back on the clock was if the synchronization of clock/play used by the officials differed from ones we all saw on TV. https://t.co/dBgyBta520
- Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 6, 2026
Western Michigan President Russ Kavalhuna: "This football team deserves a second look if that’s possible." https://t.co/AIk04WYR70
- Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 6, 2026
Western Michigan interim athletic director Elaine Russell tells ESPN that they are working alongside commissioner Jon Steinbrecher and the MAC conference office. They are all waiting on video review from the Big Ten office.
- Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 6, 2026
A statement regarding the results of tonight's game between Michigan and Western Michigan. pic.twitter.com/DzJVN2ZLTc
- Big Ten Conference (@bigten) September 6, 2026
MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher releases a statement regarding the end of the game: pic.twitter.com/skatkvhOAd
- Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) September 6, 2026
I would like to offer my sincerest apology to all the people of Kalamazoo, because you got hosed. Absolutely hosed.
- Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) September 6, 2026
That’s probably the most heartbreaking loss in the history of American sports. Not being hyperbolic.
- Curry Hicks Sage (@CurryHicksSage) September 6, 2026
That extra second will be the most scrutinized second in college football this weekend. What a stunning scene in Ann Arbor. https://t.co/guXLDwstF3
- Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 6, 2026
I believe the phrase is, never in doubt?
- Brandon Huffman (@BrandonHuffman) September 6, 2026
I’m as big a Michigan fan as you’ll find. But nah. That game was over.
- Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) September 6, 2026
Well that won't be controversial at all.
- Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 6, 2026
That is the biggest travesty in college sports history
- Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin) September 6, 2026
This might be the greatest robbery in NCAA football history.
- Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) September 6, 2026
Total robbery. Not a chance there was any time left.
- Chris Fallica (@chrisfallica) September 6, 2026
The clock was at 0 dawg!!
- Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) September 6, 2026
The bad news: We are about to spend the next week arguing about the phantom second in the Michigan game.
The good news: We don’t have to talk about USC attendance anymore!
- Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) September 6, 2026
Even Kyle Whittingham couldn't believe what happened 🤯 pic.twitter.com/RPKmvAmznI
- ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 6, 2026
Whittingham didn’t try to hide what he thought afterward.
"This game will go down in Michigan history. I don't know if it'll be positive history.
"We have a lot of things to fix. We didn't stop the run, run the ball well or win the turnover margin, get enough first downs. All of that is squarely on my shoulders."
Michigan opened fast, driving 75 yards on its first possession for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 9:40 left in the first quarter. After that, though, the offense disappeared until the finish.
The defense, meanwhile, kept Michigan alive. Western Michigan, picked to win the MAC, never reached the end zone and had to settle for four Dieter Kelly field goals. The last one came with 35 seconds remaining and put the Broncos ahead 12-7.
Michigan took over at its 25-yard line and couldn’t get much going at first. The Wolverines went nowhere on their first two snaps, then Underwood found Buchanan for 28 yards. Two more plays stalled, setting up the final snap that became the second snap nobody will stop talking about.
Underwood finished 12 of 22 for 170 yards, with the winning touchdown pass and one interception. He also ran for 47 yards on nine carries, including Michigan’s first touchdown.
Michigan now turns to No. 10 Oklahoma next week.
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LaMarcus Bell added to that feel with a breakthrough moment in his first college game, giving Utah another weapon in the backfield and another sign that the roster has more ways to create stress on a defense. It was the kind of performance that leaves a staff encouraged, because the opener did not just produce points, it hinted at an offense with multiple avenues to build on as the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]