Western Michigan junior Broc Lowry appears to move in the course of the season-opening sport at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. After a complicated finish to the Western Michigan versus Michigan contest, it kind of felt just like the mud was largely settled on the officiating nightmare. The Huge Ten defined their reasoning for including the second again; the MAC agreed with their findings, and Western Michigan dealt with the controversy with an abundance of sophistication.
No matter whether or not AP voters handled this sport as a loss, the Wolverines had been faraway from the highest 25, and the Broncos obtained some back-end votes. Sadly for the Huge Ten and Michigan, it appears like this can simply be the beginning of this mess, because the MAC has filed a proper attraction with the NCAA FBS oversight committee to acknowledge Western Michigan because the 12-7 winner.
In accordance with the assertion launched by the MAC, replay protocols weren’t adopted by officers, because the time proven on the published was not the clock used so as to add time again to the scoreboard. The MAC feels that these guidelines had been ignored, and that, it doesn’t matter what else occurred in the course of the replay, the sport ought to nonetheless have been accomplished.
I completely really feel that Western Michigan was hosed on this sport, however I hate how the MAC has dealt with this. It was clear to any viewer with two working eyes that point had expired earlier than Western Michigan touched the Hail Mary. Within the second, and within the wake of the Huge Ten’s clarification, the MAC bowed to the bigger convention and capitulated to its ruling. If that they had fought this resolution from the leap, I might completely be in assist of them, however the convention already gave in.
The MAC now appears like Al Gore within the 2000 presidential election, the place he conceded to George Bush on election evening, then modified his thoughts after seeing new data. After all all of us noticed how that turned out for Gore.
It doesn’t matter to me whether or not Michigan deserves this win; the MAC has already conceded the results of this sport. If that they had protested this from the beginning, then they’d have each purpose to attraction this replay resolution. The MAC now appears weak, whereas each workforce within the convention questions whether or not the convention will now stand behind them when the second arises.
On the finish of the day, just one group has dealt with this effectively. Western Michigan put out a press release at present saying how a lot they’ve appreciated the outcry on their behalf, however it doesn’t matter what occurs from right here on out, they’re going to maintain battling their hardest.
I’m undecided I might absolutely agree with the outcomes altering on this matchup, however on the finish of the day, I hope the CFP Committee provides the Broncos grace in the event that they’ve constructed a playoff resume by the tip of the yr.
