Michigan snatched a 13-12 victory over Western Michigan at the absolute last second, but the story isn’t just about the Hail Mary catch, it is about how that “last second” ended up on the clock in the first place. Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor made it clear postgame that he believed the game was already over before the controversial touchdown, telling reporters the clock “was past zeros” when he looked up. This whole mess started when it appeared the game had ended after a failed Hail Mary attempt, only for officials to rule there was still time left. That extra second allowed Bryce Underwood to connect with JJ Buchanan on a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown, ripping the upset right out of Western Michigan’s hands.
The Clock Was “Past Zeros”
The controversy is definitely still brewing. Taylor revealed that MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher had already reached out to Big Ten officiating about what exactly led to that second being added to the clock. Imagine the frustration: you think you’ve just pulled off a massive upset, only for the clock to magically get an extra tick. Taylor admitted he had not even seen a replay yet, but his gut, and his eyes on the field, told him something was off. He was firm, stating, “I know when I looked up at the clock, it was past zeros before we touched it.” You just know that feeling when you’re watching the game, and the clock hits zero, only for the play to continue. This one is going to be talked about for a long, long time.
Defended Perfectly, Then Not So Much
Despite the gut-wrenching loss, Taylor talked about his team’s resilience. He said, “you don’t always control those situations, or is there a second left on the clock?” emphasizing that his squad talks a lot about just responding, no matter the circumstances. Taylor pointed out that Western Michigan’s defense actually handled the first Hail Mary attempt perfectly. “I thought our guys did an excellent job. …because we defended it so well, wasn’t worried or concerned about our guys going out and defending it the second time.” That’s the brutal part: they knew what to do. But with the unexpected second chance for Michigan, he added, “Unfortunately, we did not defend it as well the second time.” It is a tough pill to swallow when you do everything right, then get a second bite at the apple, and it all falls apart. Taylor even managed to compliment the officiating crew, saying they did “a really nice job handling multiple close calls and review situations,” which is just incredible professionalism after such a chaotic ending.
At the end of the day, Taylor called Michigan’s game-winning play “great” and views the whole experience as a strong lesson for his team. They need to learn to “cover them up at the front line as well,” not just box out the back of the end zone. He is definitely going to watch the TV copy and break down every single moment, because you know they will learn from this.
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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