Dave Portnoy, a prominent Michigan Wolverines fan, publicly defended the team's controversial 13-12 victory against Western Michigan on Saturday night, directing his criticism at those he labeled as "haters" and "jealous." The game's outcome was decided when Michigan was granted an extra second on the stadium clock after a defensive penalty, allowing quarterback Bryce Underwood to complete a 47-yard Hail Mary pass to wide receiver JJ Buchanan for the winning touchdown.

Portnoy took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to address what he described as "cries for cheating" he observed online. He asserted that the play was a "clear as day" correct call and part of "one of the greatest finishes in the history of college football."

"Every time Michigan wins," Portnoy stated, "all the jealousy, all the haters, the people probably couldn’t get into Michigan. The people who root of the Mississippi states of the world. All the people don’t know the first thing about what it means to be a Michigan man. 'Oh, they cheated.' We didn’t cheat. It was a second clearance as clear as day."

He contrasted this with how he believes opponents should react to a loss, suggesting that when another team wins "fair and square," one should "take your cap and you dump." Portnoy criticized what he perceives as a pattern of "crying, pouting and moaning" that follows Michigan victories, particularly when they involve dramatic finishes.

"So, for all the haters, look in the mirror. It’s not our fault you’re not us, ok?" Portnoy added. He also shared a video that he claimed showed a "hawkeye view" of the initial play, asserting its clarity would disprove accusations of officiating errors.

Following the game, the Big Ten Conference released a statement addressing the controversial clock ruling. The statement included a video review and audio of officials discussing the play. According to the conference, video review determined that Western Michigan's #18, in attempting to block the pass, initiated his jump from an out-of-bounds position and made contact with the ball with one second remaining on the clock. A side-by-side view of the play and the game clock, using a direct shot of the stadium clock, was used to make the final ruling.

With this victory, Michigan begins the Kyle Wittingham era with a 1-0 record. The team is scheduled to face Oklahoma next on September 12.