Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson just dropped a bomb, straight up calling Western Michigan an “undefeated football team” this week. Forget what the record books say for a second, because Danielson is convinced Western Michigan got absolutely robbed in their season opener against Michigan, and his strong words are putting the spotlight on a massive issue within the NCAA.
The Robbery at Michigan That Nobody Can Forget
Remember that Michigan game on September 5th? It was 13-12, Michigan won, but barely. We all saw it, right? Bryce Underwood tosses a Hail Mary, the game clock appears to hit zero, game should be OVER. But nope, they put one second back on the clock after a heave out of bounds. One. Single. Second. That’s all Michigan needed, and Underwood then threw a touchdown on the very next play to steal the victory. It felt dirty then, and it feels even dirtier now because Coach Danielson is out here saying what we all suspected. He watched that tape and he’s not holding back. “I saw a little bit of what happened with the Michigan, Western Michigan game early on,when I went back and studied this, unbelievable,” Danielson said. He knows what he saw.
The NCAA’s Admission of Error, But Still No Justice
Danielson didn’t pull any punches, either. He said, “I mean, they’re an undefeated football team. Period, end of story… you watch that game, they absolutely beat Michigan, at Michigan, and that’s not hype. That’s what happened.” And you know what? The NCAA actually *agreed* that putting that second back was a mistake! They even concluded “the outcome of the game would have been different” if correct instant replay protocol had been followed. You’d think that’s it, right? Case closed, correct the record. BUT, get this: the NCAA and the FBS Oversight Committee both stated they didn’t have the authority to overturn the final result, despite a MAC appeal. Even the College Football Playoff announced it lacks the ability to strip the win from Michigan, though they did note that factors other than overall records impact playoff odds. So, they admit the error, but can’t fix it. It’s frustrating to watch, and Danielson’s call-out highlights just how broken that system can be.
Since that absolute robbery against Michigan, Western Michigan has gone on to handle Monmouth and Rice. Now, they’re officially 2-1 on the books, but in the heart of Coach Danielson, they’re 3-0. And that’s the “undefeated” team Boise State is rolling into Kalamazoo to face this Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. You gotta wonder how Western Michigan feels about this. Do they play with a chip on their shoulder? You bet they do. This isn’t just another game; it’s a chance for WMU to keep proving that they *are* undefeated, no matter what the official record says.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply