The Michigan-Western Michigan score, 13-12 to the Wolverines, is officially locked in, but don’t think for a second the story’s over. The College Football Playoff just dropped a statement Thursday that basically says: “Yeah, we can’t change the score, but we’re absolutely looking at how that game went down.” This whole Week 1 mess is still a huge talking point, and it’s got real consequences.
The CFP Committee Is Watching, Not Forgetting
The Mid-American Conference went for a Hail Mary themselves, asking the CFP to overturn the result and give Western Michigan the win. They had to try, right? But the CFP, like the NCAA before it, came back saying they don’t have the power to alter regular season game outcomes. That’s a bummer, but here’s where it gets interesting: the CFP then conspicuously noted its selection committee evaluates every team’s “comprehensive body of work.” They explicitly stated that performances, not just wins and losses, will be taken into account for rankings. Chris Vannini of The Athletic shared the full statement, which confirmed the committee’s evaluation is “driven by how teams perform in each game” and considers “a broad range of inputs, not just wins and losses.” They’re looking at “Opponent Team Strength, Schedule Strength and Record Strength,” comparing the “full profile rather than any single metric.” So, yeah, that 13-12 “win” isn’t going to look like a clean W on Michigan’s resume.
The Clock Controversy That Shook Things Up
The MAC’s appeal was always a longshot, especially after the NCAA itself conceded that Western Michigan *should have won* if instant replay protocols had been properly followed. The game on September 5th really should’ve ended when a Michigan Hail Mary bounced incomplete. Replays on the NBC broadcast clearly showed the clock hitting zero while the ball was still in the air. But then, in a move that still makes you scratch your head, the Big Ten replay center put one second back on the clock. Turns out, they used a camera focused on a *stadium game clock* that showed one second left when a Western Michigan player touched the ball out of bounds. That one second allowed Michigan’s Bryce Underwood to hit JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown, stealing the game. The NCAA is trying to prevent this craziness from happening again, announcing last week they’re enacting a standard timing protocol to ensure “consistency in the administration of all college football games.”
The official score is what it is, but the CFP selection committee now has a huge decision on their hands: how much does a controversial win like this really impact Michigan’s playoff ranking? They’ll be evaluating this game, alongside every other game, as the season goes on. This Week 1 chaos isn’t going to be forgotten anytime soon.
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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