No. 16 Michigan survived a historic upset bid on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, defeating Western Michigan 13-12 at Michigan Stadium. Following a controversial video review that put one second back on the game clock, Bryce Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard Hail Mary touchdown as time expired.
Kyle Whittingham nearly endured a debut in Ann Arbor. Facing a Western Michigan team that controlled the tempo for the better part of 60 minutes, the Wolverines found themselves down 12-7 in the final 35 seconds with no timeouts and 93 yards to cover. What looked destined to join the infamous lore of Appalachian State instead transformed into one of the most surreal finishes in recent Big Ten history.
How Western Michigan Dominated the Game Clock and Stats
The Broncos executed a masterclass in ball-control offense, thoroughly outplaying the hosts across nearly every statistical category. Western Michigan outrushed the Wolverines 132-106, ran 67 plays to Michigan’s 48, and committed only five penalties for 40 yards compared to Michigan’s nine infractions for 80 yards. Most crucially, the Broncos dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 40 minutes and eight seconds against Michigan’s 19:52.
That grinding style manifested in a punishing 20-play, 71-yard drive that melted 13:40 off the clock and ended with Dieter Kelly kicking a 39-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 9-7 lead early in the fourth quarter. Western Michigan added a fourth field goal from Kelly with 35 seconds remaining after Bryce Underwood coughed up a fumble at the Michigan 31-yard line, recovered by Kedrick Burley after Josh Franklin punched the ball loose. The turnover seemingly sealed the upset, leaving the 27.5-point underdogs on the verge of history.
The Controversial Review and the Final Untimed Down
With 9 seconds left, Underwood heaved a desperation Hail Mary from the midfield Block “M” that sailed out of the back of the end zone. As the clock hit 0:00, Western Michigan players rushed the field at Michigan Stadium, celebrating what would have been just the second victory by a Mid-American Conference team over the Wolverines and the first since 2008.
Then the officiating crew intervened. Following a monitor review, officials ruled that one second remained on the game clock, granting Michigan new life.
The decision immediately sparked widespread debate. NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay questioned the justification on the broadcast, noting that the stadium and television clocks appeared synchronized. The ball isn’t even close to touching a player when it goes to zero,
McAulay said on the NBC broadcast, according to reports detailing the officiating controversy. Their system, their hawkeye system, apparently either had a different sync or whatever, and they came up with one second when it touched a player. I don’t see that happen. Assuming our clock is correct, it is clearly not touching a player. The ball is clearly still in the air when the clock goes to zero on our screen. The Big Ten is going to have to tell a lot of us how did they get to one second on this play.
Given that extra second, Underwood launched a second throw toward the end zone. Utah transfer JJ Buchanan leaped into a crowd, secured the 47-yard bomb, and completed a 13-12 victory that stunned the Big House.
Individual Standouts and Hard Realities Ahead for Michigan
While the offense struggled with penalties, a muffed punt by returner Andrew Marsh, and a first-half interception thrown by Underwood, the defensive front provided rare stability. Junior edge rusher Dom Nichols wreaked havoc in the backfield, finishing with nine tackles, including 2.5 for loss and multiple sacks of Broncos quarterback Broc Lowry. Teammate Blake Frazier praised Nichols before the game, noting that he was going to terrorize people
this season, a prediction the junior backed up with a relentless performance.
Buchanan proved to be a bright spot on offense, pulling in a one-handed catch on a broken play earlier in the evening before hauling in the game-winner. Yet, Whittingham made it clear that his squad has considerable ground to cover before facing tougher conference and non-conference tests.
The Wolverines must clean up their execution immediately as they prepare to host No. 9 Oklahoma next Saturday in a rematch of last season’s meeting in Norman, while Western Michigan returns home to face Monmouth.
