Michigan defeats Western Michigan 13-12 after controversial final second officiating
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 6, 2026, 3:53 AM
Last updated Sep 6, 2026
Michigan defeated Western Michigan 13-12 on Saturday at Michigan Stadium in a game marked by officiating controversy. With Western Michigan leading 12-7 and time appearing to have expired, officials ruled one second remained on the clock. The Wolverines utilized this extra time to complete a game-winning touchdown pass from Bryce Underwood to JJ Buchanan. Analysts expressed criticism regarding the clock management and the impact of the officiating on the final outcome. Western Michigan led for the majority of the contest before the late-game decision altered the result. The Big Ten faces questions regarding the officiating performance following the finish.
- •Michigan defeated Western Michigan 13-12 at Michigan Stadium on Saturday.
- •Officials added one second to the clock after time appeared to expire.
- •Bryce Underwood threw the winning touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan on the final play.
- •Western Michigan maintained a lead for the majority of the game.
- •Analysts questioned the decision to extend the game.
- 3:53 AMYahoo Sports — ‘Blatantly Rigged,’ ‘Stealing a Game’ — CFB Analysts Rage Over Wildly Controversial Michigan Win in ‘WORST Best Ending Ever’
"Would it really be Week 1 of the college football season without a little refereeing controversy? Certainly not, as Michigan hosted Western Michigan to start the season, resulting in what is probably the most controversial win to start the 2026 campaign, as the Wolverines came out with a literal last-second finish to take home the win 13-12 against their in-state opponent. As time visibly expired on the game clock, which would have resulted in a WMU win 12-7 over Michigan, the referees for some
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