Michigan managed to escape its season opener with a 13-12 victory over Western Michigan, but the win has left a sour taste in the mouths of many across the college football landscape. The game ended on a dramatic Hail Mary touchdown caught by JJ Buchanan off a throw from Bryce Underwood, though the celebration was clouded by timing discrepancies. While Big Ten officials found a phantom second on their internal clock that allowed the play to happen, the visible game clock suggested otherwise, fueling claims that the Wolverines snatched a victory they didn’t earn.
The narrow win does little to quiet critics who argue that Michigan played far below its own standard against an opponent widely considered to be in a lower weight class. Quarterback Bryce Underwood struggled throughout the contest, appearing rattled as he accounted for two of the team’s three turnovers. Many analysts believe that luck rather than skill secured the win, leaving Michigan in a precarious position as they look toward their next challenge.
That challenge arrives quickly in Week 2 as Oklahoma heads to the Big House. The Sooners bring a roster featuring superior defensive depth and a more polished quarterback than those seen during Michigan’s opening struggle. With much of the college football community viewing last week’s result as an injustice, there is a palpable sense that Oklahoma is arriving in Ann Arbor motivated to correct the record.
While other teams around the country made loud statements in their openers—such as North Dakota State’s dominant shutout of Fordham and Tennessee’s explosive offense led by freshman Faizon Brandon—Michigan finds itself fighting for legitimacy early on. For the Wolverines, surviving through luck may have kept their record intact for now, but facing a powerhouse like Oklahoma suggests that fortune may finally run out.
