KALAMAZOO, Mich. \u2014 Western Michigan University (WMU) is walking away from what almost was by “getting up and going forward.” <\/p>\n
WMU Head Football Coach Lance Taylor and WMU President Russ Kavalhuna sat down Sunday to take questions about a controversial ruling that changed the outcome of what was almost a major Big House upset and the Broncos’ first win against a ranked team since 2015. <\/p>\n
Broncos were already on the field celebrating a 12-7 win over No. 16 University of Michigan when officials called for a review. TV replays showed the clock at zero before the football hit the hands of a WMU defender, but officials ruled there was a second still to play, Kavalhuna confirming Sunday the Big Ten clock used did show something different than what fans saw at home. <\/p>\n
A second chance in their hands, Bryce Underwood connected with JJ Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown pass, lifting the 27 1\/2-point favorites 13-12 over the defending MAC champions. <\/p>\n
From the jump Kavalhuna, later echoed by Taylor, made it clear: It was heartbreaking, and WMU is moving on. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“Each of those kids came into this game being told they were going to get destroyed,” Kavalhuna said. “Imagine the wrenching pain that coach and I saw in that locker room. But then look at what you saw. You saw a bunch of young men who had something that they worked so hard for as a team, taken away from them right at the last second in a way that they wouldn’t have ever dreamed. And then they, as professionals and as teammates, gracefully exited the field. They came into the locker room. I didn’t see any tantrums. I didn’t see any any breaking down of the team. What I saw was a team. And I think that’s what Western Michigan University should be known for.” <\/p>\n
Both Taylor and Kavalhuna repeated affirmations of the Big Ten’s professionalism and transparency when it came to explaining to them how the review went down, neither echoing any of the public response about conspiracies and stolen valor. <\/p>\n
The review process is delegated by the Big Ten, agreed upon between themselves and the MAC, and every official review is sent to a review center who makes the call; not the referees on the field. Every play reviewed Saturday was done this way, Kavalhuna said, and there is no appeals process for this. <\/p>\n
Ultimately fans saw a different clock than what the reviewers saw, and “it is just a discrepancy,” Kavalhuna said. <\/p>\n
“I would just say that what what what the viewing public see and what the reviewing officials see are different. And that’s clear,” Kavalhuna said. “I will say I’ve looked into this pretty closely, and I used to be a federal prosecutor. I don’t discern any anything unfair or untoward in this process. Can the process be improved by having what the what the viewing public sees the same as what the reviewing officials see, maybe, but frankly, that’s not for for me to decide.” <\/p>\n
As high of a road the pair is taking, they both conceded that yes, the call was devastating, and as nonobjective Broncos fans, think it was the wrong call. But not in a way that goes deeper than their love for the school, the dedicated players and the game. <\/p>\n
“Do I like the outcome? No, but I think that’s where football is such a great game. It’s one of the greatest games. It’s a teacher about life and the game of football mirrors life. because it’s hard. It’s tough. It’s going to help you learn how to face adversity and head on and not run from mistakes or failure,” Taylor said. “And, ultimately, we could deflect and say that this was somebody else’s fault, the refs got it wrong or we don’t like what was determined or decided, but that’s a victim’s mentality. And, we’re not going to blame others, but really look ourselves that dead in the mirror and see how we can improve.” <\/p>\n
Moving forward, they’re thinking about this game as a true triumph and show of determination, grit and class by the brown and gold. <\/p>\n
“It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond that ultimately determines, success or failure,” Taylor said. “I felt for our players because I knew that they laid it all on the line and gave their all and came there with confidence and belief in themselves, in each other…and there were tears in their eyes because it meant so much to them. For that I hurt and still hurt for those guys. But ultimately, it’s not what happens to us. It’s how do we control what we can control.” <\/p>\n
They painted a classic underdog picture of a team no one but themselves believed in dominating with the odds stacked against them, crushed when it unraveled quite unceremoniously, their shattered dreams drowned out by Wolverines storming the field. <\/p>\n
“I’m really, really proud to be a Bronco today. And like the rest of Bronco Nation, I’m a little bit heartsick about what happened,” Kavalhuna said. “What this world needs right now is showing when you get knocked down, you can get back up and you can be better and stronger. This is a team that started zero and three last year, and then ended up winning the MAC and winning a bowl game…last night in Michigan, no matter the outcome, showed the quality of character of this team, the quality of the coaching and why Western Michigan is a national a national level football organization.” <\/p>\n