Clock controversy: NCAA says officials botched replay protocol in Michigan's win over Western Michigan, tell me about this news in (https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/clock-controversy-ncaa-says-officials-botched-replay-protocol-michigans-win-western-michigan)

The article reports on a major officiating controversy from the September 5, 2026, college football season opener between the Michigan Wolverines and the Western Michigan Broncos, which Michigan won 13-12.

Key details from the report include:

• The Ending: On Michigan’s second-to-last play, quarterback Bryce Underwood threw a Hail Mary pass that sailed through the back of the end zone. The broadcast clock on NBC showed time had expired, but Big Ten replay officials determined a Western Michigan player touched the ball with one second (:01) remaining on the stadium clock. Michigan was awarded one final play, and Underwood threw a game-winning touchdown pass with no time left.

• The Clock Confusion: The finish sparked immediate backlash because viewers saw the television clock hit zero before the play ended. Officials and the network later stated the TV clock was not properly synchronized with the official game clock.

• The NCAA’s Statement: The NCAA’s FBS Oversight Committee released a review of the game concluding that officials failed to follow proper instant replay protocols on the penultimate play. The committee stated that if standard replay protocols had been correctly applied, the outcome of the game would have been different, meaning Western Michigan would have secured the upset victory.

• The Final Decision: Despite acknowledging the officiating failure, the NCAA confirmed that the committee lacks the authority to overturn the result. Under NCAA football rules (Rules 1-1-3-b and 5-2-9), once the referee declares the game has concluded, the final score stands and cannot be changed or appealed. As a result, Michigan keeps the win.