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09/05 23:53 CDT Wait just a second: No. 16 Michigan catches second-chance Hail
Mary, survives scare vs WMU
Wait just a second: No. 16 Michigan catches second-chance Hail Mary, survives
scare vs WMU
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
ANN ABOR, Mich. (AP) --- Given an unlikely second chance at a game-ending Hail
Mary, Bryce Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown pass
that lifted No. 16 Michigan over Western Michigan 13-12 on Saturday night.
The Wolverines were 27 1/2-point favorites in coach Kyle Whittingham's debut.
The Broncos thought they'd secured a historic upset when Underwood's first Hail
Mary sailed out of bounds with the clock expired.
WMU players were already on the field celebrating when officials called for a
review. TV replays showed the clock hitting zero before the ball hit the hands
of a Western Michigan defender, but officials ruled there was a second still to
play.
"I definitely thought the game was over because there were zeroes on the
clock," Underwood said.
After the overturned call, Underwood heaved another throw, and Buchanan leaped
to snag it and came down with it in the end zone.
"One for the history books right here," Whittingham said.
Western Michigan was threatening to hand Michigan perhaps its biggest upset
since a season-opening loss to Appalachian State in 2007, when the Wolverines
were 33-point favorites. The Broncos kicked four field goals and forced three
turnovers, including a late fumble by Underwood.
"We'll talk to our commissioner, and we'll try to see if there's anything that
we can ask for a review on," Western Michigan President Russ Kavahuna said.
"Frankly, I don't know if we can. I just want everyone to know, this football
deserves a second look if that's possible."
WMU went ahead for the first time early in the fourth quarter on Dieter Kelly's
39-yard field goal that capped a 20-play drive that took 13:40 off the clock.
Underwood lost a fumble at his 31 with 1:50 left after throwing an interception
in the first half and nearly getting picked off two more times.
"Sick to my stomach is the way I explain my feelings about that game,"
defensive end Dom Nichols said.
Kelly, a junior-college transfer from College of San Mateo, made his fourth
field goal with 35 seconds left to force the Wolverines to score a touchdown to
win --- and they did in dramatic fashion.
Western Michigan, which has played major college football since 1962 in the
Mid-American Conference, has never beaten an opponent in the top 20 of the
Associated Press poll.
The takeaway Western Michigan: The defending MAC champions were able to retain key players, keeping them out of the transfer portal, and will be contenders to repeat. Michigan: Underwood started strong with a touchdown drive and finished it well, but made a lot of mistakes in between. "This isn't on Bryce Underwood," Whittingham said. "It's on me." Up next Western Michigan hosts Monmouth on Saturday. Michigan hosts No. 10 Oklahoma on Saturday. __ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here |
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