Michigan Football’s Answered Prayer Dooms Western’s Upset Bid

You saw it. I saw it. We all saw it.

Western Michigan got jobbed by officials during the final seconds of its 13-12 loss to Michigan. The final play of the game should never have been played.

Michigan had it’s one shot at a Hail Mary with 0:09 remaining in the game, trailing 12-7. The clock showed 0:00 after quarterback Bryce Underwood heaved the ball past the back of the endzone. End of the ball game. But officials and the Big Ten reached into their back pockets and found an additional second to bail the Wolverines out  to allow J.J. Buchanan to catch the game-winning touchdown as time expired again.

Us old-timers have seen this movie before. In the 1972 Summer Olympic gold medal basketball game between the United States and Russia, the Americans won the game when the Russians desperate try to erase a one-point deficit with 0:03 left came up short. The clock expired, showing triple zeros.

Game, set match.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terry Foster is the self proclaimed Minister of Words with Woodward Sports and fills in on shows when folks need time off. He worked at the Detroit News and Free Press for 37 years and co-hosted the Valenti and Foster Show for 13 years at the Detroit Lions flagship.