FOX Sports rankings put Michigan’s narrow win under scrutiny
RJ Young’s Week 1 rankings follow Michigan’s controversial 13–12 win over Western Michigan, with Oklahoma next on the schedule.
FOX Sports has published RJ Young’s post–Week 1 college football top-25 rankings after Michigan escaped Western Michigan 13–12 with a Hail Mary touchdown.
Young characterised the result as a win Michigan should have lost, citing the Wolverines’ performance against a Western Michigan side he said was not in their weight class. He also criticised quarterback Bryce Underwood, attributing two of Michigan’s three turnovers to him.
The winning touchdown came after officials restored one second following a replay review of an initial incomplete Hail Mary attempt. The Big Ten and Mid-American Conference defended the ruling, while Western Michigan said it would not appeal the result.
Young described the decisive Hail Mary as mostly attributable to luck and argued that Michigan’s Week 2 meeting with Oklahoma would provide a more meaningful test of the Wolverines’ reliability.
Michigan is scheduled to face Oklahoma next. Young said the Sooners have an opportunity to turn the claim that Michigan should have lost into a definitive result.
