Michigan’s Hail Mary headlines chaotic college football Week 1
The Big Ten upheld the officials’ decision that gave Michigan one final play, while UMass delivered the week’s major upset against Rutgers.
Week 1 of the 2026 college football season produced a disputed finish in Ann Arbor, a major upset and early debate about the teams best placed to influence the College Football Playoff race.
Michigan defeated Western Michigan 13–12 after officials ruled that one second remained following an apparent final-play incompletion. Quarterback Bryce Underwood used the reprieve to throw a 47-yard Hail Mary, which JJ Buchanan caught for the winning touchdown.
The finish remained controversial after the game, with coaches offering competing views about when the clock reached zero. The Big Ten later defended the ruling, saying replay showed one second remained when the ball contacted Western Michigan’s Micah Davis.
Fox Sports also highlighted UMass’s 37–21 win over Rutgers. The Minutemen entered the game as 29.5-point underdogs, while quarterback William Watson III threw three touchdown passes.
Lane Kiffin’s LSU debut was among the broader Week 1 storylines identified by Fox Sports, alongside performances from Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover. Early CBS Sports projections subsequently elevated Miami and LSU, but the opening week did not determine the final playoff field.
