Following a controversial finish to Michigan’s 13-12 victory over Western Michigan on Sept. 5, 2026, network broadcaster NBC addressed its role in a game clock dispute via studio host John Fanta on Sept. 6. The game ended when Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood completed a 47-yard touchdown pass to JJ Buchanan as time expired, securing a win in Kyle Whittingham’s first game as head coach.
NBC Clarifies Role After Clock Controversy in Michigan Win
The game-winning play occurred after officials reviewed the previous play—a failed Hail Mary attempt by Underwood that sailed out of the back of the end zone—and ruled that one second remained on the game clock. Fanta stated during the Washington-Washington State broadcast that the network is not responsible for official timekeeping.
Now, the official time of the game is kept by the Big Ten,
Fanta said during the broadcast. Our cameras are not the official arbiter of timekeeping within the game. That is the Big Ten and game officials’ responsibility. After the game last night, the Big Ten released a statement and raw video from its replay process that showed how and why the decision was made.
Discrepancy Between Broadcast and Stadium Clocks
The controversy centered on a fraction of a second, as television viewers watching the NBC broadcast saw the on-screen clock hit 0:00 as the ball touched a Western Michigan defender out of bounds. NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay expressed confusion during the broadcast, stating that the ball was clearly still in the air when the broadcast clock reached zero.
According to the Big Ten, the broadcast clock is synced with the replay system 85 minutes before kickoff. However, Big Ten officials confirmed that the NBC broadcast clock and the official game clock used in the conference’s replay center were out of sync. Western Michigan president Russ Kavalhuna stated during a Sunday news conference alongside Broncos coach Lance Taylor that conference officials explained the TV clock was running a few tenths of a second fast, while the in-stadium clock used by replay officials showed one second remaining when Western Michigan’s Micah Davis made contact with the ball.
Replay Protocols and Official Explanations
The Big Ten released audio and video of the replay booth deliberations following the game. The provided video displayed a side-by-side view of the play and a direct shot of the stadium game clock used by officials during the review process. The footage appeared to show that a Western Michigan defender touched the ball with one second left on the stadium clock.
Fox rules expert Mike Pereira noted that NFL and UFL protocols advise replay officials to use the clock visible to television viewers during discrepancies, but pointed out that the NCAA’s Instant Replay Case Book does not explicitly dictate deferring to television video, instead referencing the game clock superimposed on the replay monitor.
Despite the disagreement over the clock synchronization, Western Michigan leadership accepted the conference’s explanation. I’ve looked into this pretty closely … I don’t discern anything unfair or untoward in this process,
Kavalhuna said, while Taylor added that the officiating crew did not cost his team the game.
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