Michigan edged Western Michigan 13-12 in a college football game on September 5, 2026. The winning score came on a 47-yard Hail Mary pass from Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood to receiver JJ Buchanan as time expired [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].
The game ended controversially when officials restored one second on the clock after Underwood's initial last-second Hail Mary sailed out of bounds and Western Michigan players began celebrating. Replay showed Western Michigan’s No. 18 started his jump from an out-of-bounds spot and made contact with the ball with one second on the clock, leading the Big Ten Conference to uphold the clock reset [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7]. The Big Ten said, "It was determined Western Michigan No. 18 started his jump from an established out-of-bounds position (left foot) and made contact with the ball with one second remaining on the clock" [5].
Western Michigan led 12-7 late in the game by scoring four field goals and forcing three Michigan turnovers, nearly pulling off a historic upset against a team favored by about 27 to 27.5 points before the game [1, 4, 5, 7]. Michigan’s victory came in head coach Kyle Whittingham’s debut. Whittingham called the winning play "one for the history books" and said, "I was pretty sure there was one second left" when the clock was reset [1, 3, 6].
Underwood threw for 170 yards but showed inconsistency adjusting to Michigan’s new offensive system in his first game [3, 4]. After the final touchdown, Michigan fans stormed the field to celebrate, drawing criticism on social media due to the low-scoring, close result and the opponent [7]. Underwood said, "I definitely thought the game was over because there were zeroes on the clock" before the clock was reset for the final play [6].
Michigan will prepare for their next game following a dramatic and contentious opener to their 2026 season.
