The Mid-American Conference has formally appealed the controversial ending of Saturday's Michigan-Western Michigan game, asking the NCAA FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff to recognize Western Michigan as the winner after the conference concluded that replay protocol was not properly followed.

The MAC Conference
Credit: The MAC Conference

Michigan defeated Western Michigan 13-12 on Sept. 5 after Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood threw a 47-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan on the final play. The touchdown came only after replay officials restored one second to the game clock, giving Michigan another opportunity after the initial Hail Mary appeared to end the game.

The controversial sequence began when Underwood's first Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete as the clock appeared to reach zero. Replay officials determined that Western Michigan defensive back Micah Davis, who was established out of bounds, touched the football with one second remaining. That ruling resulted in one second being restored to the clock.

Michigan then used the additional play to complete the game-winning touchdown, turning what appeared to be a Western Michigan victory into a 13-12 loss for the Broncos.

The Big Ten has defended the replay decision, saying officials used synchronized camera footage and determined that the ball made contact with Davis while one second remained. The controversy intensified because the NBC broadcast clock appeared to show the game had reached zero before the contact occurred.

The MAC initially accepted the Big Ten's explanation of the ruling. However, the conference has now reversed course following what it described as further study and investigation.

MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a statement that “it is now evident that replay protocol was not properly followed in determining whether time remained.”

The conference is asking the NCAA FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff to recognize Western Michigan as the actual winner of the contest and take whatever corrective action falls within their authority.

The appeal marks a significant escalation of the controversy surrounding the game. Western Michigan had previously indicated that it would not pursue an appeal after university President Russ Kavalhuna said Sunday that he had explored possible avenues but found no formal appeals process available.

The MAC's action now places the dispute before national college football authorities, although it remains unclear what remedy, if any, the NCAA or College Football Playoff could provide after the game has already been completed.

Michigan's official record currently remains a 13-12 victory over Western Michigan. The Wolverines subsequently fell out of the Associated Press Top 25 after the narrow escape, while Western Michigan received widespread attention for nearly pulling off the upset.

The appeal will now test whether college football governing bodies have the authority to alter or otherwise recognize a different outcome after a game has been completed, while also putting renewed scrutiny on the replay procedures used during the final seconds of the contest.