Michigan escapes WMU on Hail Mary in Whittingham debut, Underwood under fire

Michigan avoided what would have been a stunning upset loss Saturday night in Ann Arbor, escaping Western Michigan 13-12 on a last-second Hail Mary in Kyle Whittingham's debut as head coach. The victory, however, came with an asterisk: an extra second had to be placed back on the clock after an initial Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete, a sequence that drew immediate criticism of Big Ten officiating and left the Broncos feeling robbed of the biggest win in program history.

Quarterback Bryce Underwood completed a 47-yard touchdown pass on that final play to lift the Wolverines, but his overall performance did little to quiet growing doubts about Michigan's investment in him. Underwood completed just 12 of 22 passes for 170 yards and threw one interception. The performance was the latest in a string of underwhelming outings for the former five-star recruit, who entered college as the No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2025 and reportedly signed an NIL deal worth approximately $12 million over four years.

Sharpe, Critics Pile On

He might stay longer than that, considering the way he played. He might wanna get a 5th year.

— Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, on the 'Nightcap' podcast

Sharpe also acknowledged the financial reality behind Michigan's recruitment of Underwood, noting, 'You had to pay him because everybody in the country wanted him. So to keep him from going, sometimes you gotta overpay.' Former LSU defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko was less measured in his assessment, writing on social media that Underwood had 'stolen a lot of booster money from Michigan' and calling him 'unplayable.' Underwood had previously ranked No. 79 in PFN's College QB Impact Rankings following the 2025 season.

The officiating controversy added another layer of controversy to the result. Questions mounted over why the various public-facing and replay clocks were not synchronized, with critics arguing that Big Ten officials handed one of the conference's marquee programs an undeserved lifeline. The Broncos and the MAC accepted the ruling, and the Big Ten offered an explanation for its decision, but the episode further eroded confidence in officiating and replay processes across the sport.

Michigan's FPI ranking fell five spots to 20th following the result, with ESPN's model now projecting the Wolverines to win just 7.0 games on the season. Their Big Ten title odds dropped to 1.3 percent, College Football Playoff odds to 10.3 percent, and national championship odds to 0.2 percent. The Wolverines face a quick turnaround, hosting Oklahoma on Saturday in what will serve as an early indicator of whether Underwood and Whittingham can right the ship before a brutal Big Ten schedule arrives.