LSU Claims No. 1 in 138-Team Re-Rank as Rutgers Sinks to Record-Low No. 136

Q: How did a controversial one-second clock adjustment save Michigan from a historic upset and alter the top 25 rankings?

Michigan was saved by a replay ruling that restored one second to the clock, giving the Wolverines one extra snap after what appeared to be the final play. On Bryce Underwood’s first Hail Mary, television replays seemed to show 0:00 before the ball was touched, and Western Michigan briefly celebrated an upset. But Big Ten replay officials said their review used the in-stadium game clock, not the TV graphic, and determined that Broncos defender Micah Davis touched the ball while out of bounds with 0:01 remaining. Under NCAA timing rules, that contact ended the play and stopped the clock with one second left. That single second changed everything. Instead of a 12-6 Western Michigan win, Underwood got a second Hail Mary attempt and hit J.J. Buchanan for a 47-yard touchdown, lifting Michigan to a 13-12 escape. The ruling prevented what would have been one of the program’s most embarrassing nonconference losses, widely compared to Michigan’s 2007 Appalachian State defeat. It also denied Western Michigan what would have been the first win in school history over a top-20 AP opponent. Even with the victory, the damage showed up in the rankings. Michigan’s shaky performance against a heavy underdog triggered the biggest fall in the new US LBM Coaches Poll, dropping the Wolverines from No. 16 to No. 24. Western Michigan, despite the loss, earned seven votes, reflecting how close it came to a landmark upset and how poorly Michigan played for most of the night.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 8

LSU took the top spot in The Athletic’s 138-team Week 1 re-rank after a 51-10 demolition of Clemson that produced more than 600 yards of offense.
Miami made one of the biggest early jumps after a 45-6 rout of Stanford, while the next six teams largely held preseason order because their openers offered fewer clear signals.
Rutgers plunged to No. 136 after a 37-21 home loss to UMass, the lowest placement for a Power 4 team in the ranking’s 10-year history.
UMass climbed to No. 100 by ending a 16-game overall skid and a 23-game FBS losing streak, while Charlotte fell to No. 138 after losing 43-41 to The Citadel in triple overtime.
The reshuffle underscores how volatile these results are after one week: Michigan dropped sharply after its controversial Western Michigan escape, and Oklahoma State slid into the 110s after losing 24-10 to Tulsa.