Western Michigan’s Dom Nichols says he was “sick to my stomach” after a disputed clock ruling gave Michigan another chance to win.
Western Michigan players were left stunned after a controversial replay decision gave No. 16 Michigan one final opportunity to steal a 13-12 victory Saturday night at Michigan Stadium.
Broncos defensive end Dom Nichols summed up the frustration after what appeared to be a historic upset slipped away in dramatic fashion.
“Sick to my stomach is the way I explain my feelings about that game,” Nichols said.
The Broncos appeared to have secured one of the biggest wins in program history after Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood’s first Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete as the clock appeared to hit zero.
Instead, officials reviewed the final play and determined that one second remained.
That decision changed everything.
Michigan gets an unexpected second chance
With the game seemingly over, Western Michigan players began celebrating on the field.
Michigan had been favored by more than four touchdowns, but the Broncos had controlled much of the game and held a 12-7 lead late in the fourth quarter.
Underwood’s initial desperation pass sailed beyond the end zone and into the hands of a Western Michigan defender.
Television replays appeared to show the clock reaching zero before the ball made contact with the defender. However, officials determined during replay review that Western Michigan’s No. 18 had touched the ball with one second remaining.
The Big Ten later released video and audio supporting the replay ruling. According to the conference, the defender began his jump from an established position out of bounds and made contact with the ball while one second remained on the game clock.
That gave Michigan another play.
Underwood delivers on second Hail Mary
Underwood wasted no time.
On the final play, the Michigan quarterback launched another 47-yard Hail Mary toward the end zone.
This time, the pass found JJ Buchanan, who made the game-winning catch as time expired.
Michigan escaped with a 13-12 victory, while Western Michigan was left trying to process how a game it believed it had won had suddenly been turned around.
“I definitely thought the game was over because there were zeroes on the clock,” Underwood said after the game.
The Wolverines quarterback then received an unexpected second chance—and made it count.
Rules analyst questions clock decision
The replay ruling immediately sparked debate among fans and analysts.
NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay questioned how the officials arrived at the one-second ruling, noting that the television clock appeared to reach zero while the ball was still in the air.
McAulay said the broadcast’s in-stadium clock appeared to be synchronized, creating confusion over how the replay system determined that one second remained.
The Big Ten, however, stood by the officials.
The conference said its replay team used a direct view of the stadium clock alongside video of the play to determine that the ball made contact with the Western Michigan defender with one second remaining.
Western Michigan asks for answers
The controversial finish was especially painful for a Western Michigan team that entered Ann Arbor as a heavy underdog.
The Broncos were on the verge of pulling off a stunning upset before the replay decision gave Michigan another opportunity.
Western Michigan President Russ Kava said the school would speak with the Mid-American Conference about whether there was any possibility of further review.
The MAC and Western Michigan subsequently contacted the Big Ten seeking clarification about the replay decision and clock placement. The Big Ten provided video and audio of the review, according to the MAC commissioner’s statement.
Michigan survives a night of drama
Michigan ultimately avoided what would have been a massive upset and opened the 2026 season with a 13-12 victory.
But the win was hardly convincing.
The Wolverines were unable to pull away from Western Michigan and needed a disputed replay decision followed by a 47-yard Hail Mary to escape.
For the Broncos, the ending was devastating.
For Michigan, it was a miracle.
And for college football fans, the final seconds of the game created one of the most controversial endings of the opening weekend.
The Big Ten has defended the ruling, but the debate surrounding that final second is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
