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Michigan football’s narrow escape against Western Michigan on Saturday night resulted in severe consequences in the AP Top 25 poll. The Wolverines, who entered the season ranked 16th, fell completely out of the rankings after their 13-12 victory, receiving 69 points in the “others receiving votes” column to place 28th overall. This marked the largest drop to unranked status by any winning team since at least 2008.
The game itself was marked by offensive struggles for Michigan. The team scored only on its opening drive and managed no additional touchdowns in regulation. Three turnovers and a 27.5-point spread as favorites at home set the stage for controversy when officials added one second back to the clock, allowing quarterback Bryce Underwood to connect with JJ Buchanan on a 47-yard Hail Mary pass for the winning touchdown.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham, hired in December following Michigan’s firing of Sherrone Moore, faced an inauspicious debut. Meanwhile, the Coaches Poll kept Michigan ranked at 24th, creating a notable split between the two major polls. Western Michigan, the defending Mid-American Conference champion, earned 12 votes in its defeat, while the MAC formally requested that both the NCAA and College Football Playoff consider reversing the result.
Michigan now faces Oklahoma on Saturday at home, with the Sooners ranked 11th. The matchup will pit an unranked Michigan team against a ranked opponent, a dramatic shift from preseason expectations.
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Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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