CFB Week 1 takeaways: Michigan gets a gift, LSU looks title-ready and UMass wins! - ESPN

The game was over. Western Michigan did the unimaginable: It beat Michigan in the Big House.

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood's end zone heave from 47 yards fell incomplete as time expired, ruining coach Kyle Whittingham's debut in the most embarrassing of ways. In fact, as the camera panned to the former Utah coach, the look on his face could be roughly translated to say: I should have stuck to the plan and retired.

The immediate television replay confirmed what also seemed clear in real time: The clock struck triple zeros before Underwood's pass made contact with anyone on the way down. Upon seeing the replay, NBC's play-by-play broadcaster Noah Eagle quickly proclaimed, «It's done.»

Then came the baffling announcement from the referee, without explanation: «After further review, there is one second left in the game.»

During the review, no additional angles were shown on TV — presumably because there wasn't another angle that contradicted the initial conclusion — and viewers were left searching for any reason why Michigan should get another chance.

So, naturally, Michigan took advantage of its extra life moments later, when Underwood's next attempt was hauled in by JJ Buchanan.

Michigan 13, Western Michigan 12.

Fans stormed the field. Disaster was averted.

Except, nothing about the way the final sequence unfolded felt right.

After the game, NBC brought its officiating expert, Terry McAulay, back on, and he was no closer to understanding the officiating sequence than when he initially agreed with the call on the field.

«Our [NBC replay clock is] in sync with the stadium clock. The ball isn't even close to touching a player when it goes to zero,» he said. «Their system — their Hawk-Eye system — had a different sync