The controversial ending of the Michigan Wolverines' football game against Western Michigan has drawn sharp criticism from college football analysts and officials, who are disputing the Big Ten Conference's explanation for adding a second back onto the clock. This decision allowed Michigan to attempt and convert a game-winning Hail Mary pass, securing a 13-12 victory.
Josh Pate, host of "Josh Pate's College Football Show," stated that he has spoken with "several officials and several referees" who have dismissed the Big Ten's reasoning as a "pile of garbage." Pate questioned whether a similar scenario involving a lesser-known team would have resulted in the same ruling.
"I have been on the phone with several officials and several referees this morning who wanted to make sure that they articulated how much of a [cover your ass] move this is, how big of a pile of garbage that is from the Big Ten league office, and how egregious, like beyond the pale, horrifically bad the machinations of the way that was handled last night were," Pate said on his show.
The addition of one second to the game clock has been a focal point of debate. NBC, the network broadcasting the game, also featured its rules analyst questioning the decision. While the Big Ten released a statement and video detailing its internal review process, and Western Michigan and the Mid-American Conference have accepted the ruling, the controversy persists within the college football community.
"Now, the official time of the game is kept by the Big Ten," an NBC commentator noted during halftime of another game. "Our cameras are not the official arbiter of timekeeping within the game. That is the Big Ten and game officials’ responsibility. After the game last night, the Big Ten released a statement and raw video from its replay process that showed how and why the decision was made."
Despite efforts by involved parties to move past the incident, the debate surrounding the game's conclusion continues. Michigan wide receiver JJ Buchanan catches for a touchdown against Western Michigan to win the game 13-12 as time expires during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect Michigan head coach Kyle Whittingham walks off the field after Michigan beat Western Michigan on a Hail Mary touchdown pass with time expired at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect