MAC decides to fight back, but it was always throwing stones at Goliath

The MAC filed a formal appeal with the NCAA FBS Oversight Committee and the College Football Playoff, asking that Western Michigan be declared the winner of Saturday's game against Michigan. The move came three days after the Broncos appeared to win 12-7 when a Michigan pass sailed out of the end zone as the clock on NBC read 0:00, only for Big Ten review officials to add one second back, citing a clock in their system synced to the stadium clock.

MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a statement that after further study and investigation, it is now evident that replay protocol was not properly followed in determining whether time remained on the game clock.

Steinbrecher said this was not a judgment regarding the proper amount of time to place on the clock, but an error in the application of the established replay protocol governing that end-of-game timing situation. He added that had the protocol been properly followed and the program-feed clock been used, no additional play would have been awarded, and that Western Michigan should not be disadvantaged because the prescribed replay protocol was not followed.