The whole clock situation in the game between Michigan football and Western Michigan has reached the point of ridiculousness.
For some reason, the FBS Oversight Committee released a statement on Wednesday night that the protocols for the replay review, which put an extra second on the clock for Michigan, weren't followed correctly.
This came one week after the NCAA issued a memo that "established a timing protocol" on September 8th.
ESPN reported: "The NCAA is issuing new guidance 'to establish a standard timing protocol that ensures consistency in the administration of all college football games,' in the wake of Michigan's controversial 13-12 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday."
The memo, via ESPN said this: "The official time for all college football games is the time displayed on the in-stadium game clock When a replay review requires time to be restored or otherwise adjusted, the replay official's decision will be based on the embedded game clock contained within the program feed. If the broadcaster is unable to provide an embedded game clock, the replay official will use the game-clock graphic displayed as part of the broadcast feed.
"This timing protocol should be followed consistently at all institutions and game sites."
The oversight committee said that this protocol was not followed. Yet, if this protocol was established on September 8th, how did the officials violate it?
The Big Ten got the ball call right
Absolutely. I went deep dive on this. There are lots of angles out there, you can stopwatch the play and all sorts of things. There are explanations on why the NBC broadcast slowly diverts from the pregame "sync."
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) September 17, 2026
I went into it believing Western Michigan got screwed but after… https://t.co/EQiVfZoY8J
That's one question. The other is that the evidence shows there was time on the clock. ESPN's Dan Wetzel said he researched it. He went into it thinking Michigan should not have gotten the extra second. After looking at the facts and the stadium clock, he changed his mind.
The protocol the NCAA wants followed would have ignored that. It would have ignored the correct clock, just like the two seconds Michigan lost after throwing a first-down pass with 13 seconds were ignored.
Michigan should ask the FBS Oversight Committee to go back in time 2 weeks and add two more seconds on the clock for this play pic.twitter.com/KcMQyLngOq
— Elliot Cadeau Enthusiast (@EC3Enthusiast) September 17, 2026
Why is that?
It's easy. People don't like Michigan. Maybe it's because of signgate, which is the most overblown scandal in college sports history. It had about as much impact on the outcome of games as deflategate, which is to say, it made zero impact.
Michigan's 2023 team proved that. But it's hard to see this level of discourse, or anyone caring at all, if this had happened between Penn State and Marshall. It would have been a one-day story. Not one that has drug on for now, the second week.
Critics can say what they want. The result will never change. The clock was right, and the people who don't like Michigan still don't like Michigan.
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