MAC Wants Western Michigan Recognized as Winner Over Michigan

The Mid-American Conference is now asking the NCAA and College Football Playoff to recognize Western Michigan as the winner of Saturday's controversial game against Michigan.

That puts a halt in the play from where it originally ended.

Why the Michigan-WMU Finish Is Being Challenged

Michigan officially beat Western Michigan 13-12 after one second was put back on the clock, giving the Wolverines one final play. Bryce Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan on a 47-yard Hail Mary to win the game.

At first, the MAC appeared satisfied with the explanation it received from the Big Ten. The conference said the Big Ten provided video and audio showing the ball touched a player who was out of bounds before the clock hit zero.

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Now, after taking a look, the MAC says the replay process itself was handled incorrectly.

What the MAC Says Went Wrong

MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher says replay officials were supposed to use the game clock shown on the television program feed when deciding whether any time remained. Instead, the Big Ten replay crew reportedly used a clock feed built into its replay system.

Why Western Michigan Says It Should Have Won

The conference says if the proper replay protocol had been followed, the clock would have remained at zero, Michigan would not have gotten another play, and Western would have officially won the game.

What Happens Next for Michigan and Western Michigan

The MAC has now filed appeals with the NCAA FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff, asking both groups to recognize Western Michigan as the winner when it comes to rankings and postseason decisions.

Western Michigan President Russ Kavalhuna also backed the move, while the Big Ten has not released a response as of Tuesday evening.

Officially, Michigan is still 2-0. But the MAC is now arguing one of those wins should be towards Michigan.