09/08/26 01:54:00
Printable Page
09/08 13:53 CDT MAC appeals Michigan-Western Michigan result, asks NCAA and CFP
to recognize Broncos as winner
MAC appeals Michigan-Western Michigan result, asks NCAA and CFP to recognize
Broncos as winner
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) --- The Mid-American Conference appealed the outcome of
the Michigan-Western Michigan game on Tuesday and asked NCAA and College
Football Playoff administrators to recognize the Broncos as the actual winner.
Michigan won 13-12 on a Hail Mary pass after the replay official put one second
back on the clock. The stadium clock and the one shown on television showed
zeroes after Bryce Underwood's first Hail Mary was thrown out the back of the
end zone.
The Big Ten had said in a statement that time had not expired on a separate
clock embedded within its replay system. Western Michigan and the MAC initially
accepted the explanation, but that had changed by Tuesday.
"After further study and investigation, it is now evident that replay protocol
was not properly followed in determining whether time remained on the game
clock at the conclusion of the Western Michigan vs. Michigan football game,"
MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a statement.
Messages seeking comment were sent to the NCAA and CFP.
Steinbrecher said the established replay protocol requires that the game clock
displayed on the program feed be used in determining whether time remained.
Instead, he said, the Big Ten replay crew relied upon the clock feed embedded
within its replay system. As a result, one second was placed back on the game
clock and an additional play was awarded.
"This was not a judgment regarding the proper amount of time to place on the
clock," Steinbrecher said. "It was an error in the application of the
established replay protocol governing this specific end-of-game timing
situation. Had the protocol been properly followed and the program-feed clock
been used, no additional play would have been awarded, and Western Michigan
would have won the game, 12--7."
The MAC is requesting the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee
and the CFP recognize Western Michigan as the actual winner for purposes of
their respective rankings, evaluations and selection deliberations.
Michigan was ranked No. 16 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll but dropped out of
the rankings Tuesday.
___
Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full
college football coverage here
|