No. 16 Michigan looked like they were headed for an absolute disaster Saturday, but Bryce Underwood and JJ Buchanan had other plans, snatching an improbable 13-12 victory over Western Michigan with a last-second Hail Mary at the Big House. Can you even believe it? With only one second remaining, Underwood launched that 47-yard bomb, and Buchanan impossibly hauled it in for the game-winning touchdown. It was an absolutely wild finish, handing Kyle Whittingham a win in his Michigan coaching debut and stopping what would have been one of the most stunning losses in program history dead in its tracks. What a way to kick off the season.
Pure Chaos, Pure Clutch
For almost the entire 60 minutes, this game was anything but pretty for Michigan. Seriously, what was going on out there? They coughed up three crucial turnovers and were flagged a whopping nine times for 80 yards. That’s just brutal self-sabotage, man. And get this: they possessed the football for less than 20 minutes! Western Michigan absolutely capitalized on all that mess, taking a gut-wrenching 12-7 lead with only 38 seconds left on the clock. It truly felt like Michigan had done everything to lose this one. This was supposed to be the first *clean* look at Year 2 for Underwood and the start of the Whittingham era, but “clean” is definitely not the word anyone will be using. “Clutch” though? Yeah, that fits perfectly.
The Heroics We Needed
But then, from the absolute brink, these guys pulled off a miracle. With the clock winding down, Underwood started the final push by finding Buchanan for a crucial 28 yards. Two incompletions and a quick spike later, it all came down to one desperation throw. Just one second left! And man, did Underwood deliver! He finished the night completing 12 of 22 passes for 170 yards, tossed one touchdown, and had one interception. Plus, he even scored Michigan’s first touchdown on the ground. But Buchanan, that dude was the absolute hero, wrapping up the game with six catches for 126 yards. He accounted for most of Michigan’s passing production. The entire offseason buzzed about Underwood returning for Year 2, and while Saturday night was a wild ride, he certainly showed that clutch factor when it counted. Good grief, what a play!
So, Michigan is sitting at 1-0, and hey, 1-0 absolutely beats the alternative, especially when that alternative was staring them down with one second left. But let’s be real, they have a ton to fix before their next challenge. Those penalties, the turnovers, and that inconsistent offense can’t just be waved away because of one miracle catch. You can bet Oklahoma, who visits next Saturday, will be watching this film. Michigan needs to clean up their act big time if they want to make any real noise this season. It’s going to be super interesting to see if they can tighten things up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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