The Mid-American Conference has formally lodged an appeal against the outcome of the Michigan versus Western Michigan football game, contending that a misapplication of replay protocol swung the final score in Michigan’s favor.
Appeal Claims Replay Protocol Breach
According to the conference, the game concluded with Michigan edging a 13‑12 victory after a Hail Mary pass, but a replay official added an extra second to the clock, a move the MAC says violated the prescribed procedure and should have resulted in a Western Michigan win of 12‑7.
The Big Ten initially defended its replay system, claiming that the game clock had not yet expired, yet the MAC contested this assertion, insisting that the broadcast feed clock—rather than the conference’s internal timing—should have been the reference point for the review.
The controversy stems from the failure to follow proper replay protocol, which allowed an additional play to be awarded to Michigan instead of preserving the original result that would have seen Western Michigan emerge victorious.
The disputed call not only altered the on‑field outcome but also had repercussions for Michigan’s standing; the team had entered the season ranked No. 16 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, only to be removed from the rankings after the contentious loss.
In response, the MAC has formally requested that the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff reconsider the game’s result, seeking recognition of Western Michigan as the true winner for purposes of both rankings and playoff considerations.