'Western Michigan won that football game': WMU president claims victory over Michigan after controversial call — SkimNews
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- Russ Kavalhuna told CBS Sports that "Western Michigan University won that football game," publicly claiming victory four days after Michigan's 13-12 win and acknowledging the stance has brought him "heat"
- Michigan defeated Western Michigan 13-12 after Big Ten officials added one second back to the clock, allowing Bryce Underwood to find J.J. Buchanan on a 47-yard touchdown pass as time expired
- The NCAA issued a new timing protocol Tuesday instructing replay officials to use "the embedded game clock contained within the program feed" — a standard under which Western Michigan wins, per a memo obtained by ESPN
- The MAC filed formal appeals Tuesday with both the NCAA's FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff asking them to recognize the Broncos as the winner; the NCAA responded that its rules contain no protocol for overturning game outcomes
- The Big Ten expanded its in-broadcast replay program Wednesday to include live audio between the referee and replay official in every game officiated by its crews, not just Friday nights
- Western Michigan lost a potential CFP bid and NIL interest for its players; Kavalhuna endorsed the substance of the MAC's appeal while publicly preaching acceptance and forward momentum
Why it matters: The NCAA's new clock protocol — applying "the embedded game clock contained within the program feed" — would have given Western Michigan the win, yet the same body says its rules contain no mechanism to overturn Saturday's result. Western Michigan's lost CFP bid and NIL opportunities for its players now sit with the College Football Playoff committee, where CFP executive director Rich Clark said the MAC's request would have to go to the playoff management committee.
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