Big Ten coaches questioned official clock process after Michigan thriller
Kyle Whittingham and Barry Odom said they were unaware the conference’s official timing system could differ from stadium and television clocks.
Michigan’s 13–12 win over Western Michigan has drawn attention to the Big Ten’s official clock protocol after officials ruled that one second remained for the game’s final play.
With Western Michigan leading 12–7 after time appeared to expire, Bryce Underwood threw a 47-yard desperation pass to J.J. Buchanan for the winning touchdown.
Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham said he had not known about the Big Ten’s “Hawkeye system”, which the conference uses to determine official game time. He said he assumed officials had made the correct ruling after reviewing the play.
Purdue coach Barry Odom, who watched the match on television, said he only learned after Saturday night’s game that a separate clock, not visible inside the stadium, could differ from the clocks seen by spectators and viewers.
The Big Ten issued a statement about two hours after the game, saying Western Michigan safety Micah Davis began his jump from an established out-of-bounds position and touched the ball with one second remaining. The supplied statement does not include the conference’s full explanation.
The episode has exposed a gap in the coaches’ understanding of the league’s timing procedures, with both Whittingham and Odom relatively new to the Big Ten despite lengthy coaching careers elsewhere.
