Western Michigan president: Big Ten's replay process not 'as good as it could be' - ESPN

Western Michigan president Russ Kavalhuna told ESPN on Sunday night that he didn't think the Big Ten's replay process that put a second back on the clock, leading to Michigan's winning touchdown pass over the Broncos, «is as good as it could be.»

«And that's because what the [TV] viewers see in a pivotal question is different than what the review process shows,» Kavalhuna said. «Is there a real reason why we can't have those things equal? And if there is, let's try and fix that. And if there isn't a real reason why we can't have those things synced up, then we should sync them up so that everybody who's watching at home doesn't start to wonder what happened.»

On what appeared to be the final play of Saturday's game, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood sailed a Hail Mary pass beyond the end zone and into the arms of Western Michigan safety Micah Davis. TV replays showed the clock hitting zero with the ball still in the air.

But Big Ten replay officials put a second back on the clock, giving the Wolverines another play.

With one second remaining, Underwood threw another Hail Mary, and JJ Buchanan hauled it in for a 47-yard touchdown, giving the Wolverines the stunning 13-12 victory.

Kavalhuna said he spoke to Big Ten officials after the game, including conference commissioner Tony Petitti, to get an explanation for why the clock the Big Ten reviewed was different than the clock shown on the NBC broadcast.

«If you look at what they saw, then you reach the conclusion they reached,» Kavalhuna said. «However, if you look at what the broadcasters broadcast, you reach a different conclusion.

»I think it would be good to ask ourselves, can we sync those up so that the viewers could see what the officials would be looking at?"

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