Replay Protocol Breakdown: Mike Pereira Explains Michigan Clock Controversy

How much time was actually left on the clock? Saturday night’s showdown between Western Michigan and Michigan delivered one of the most controversial finishes in recent memory. Days later, questions surrounding the final moments remain unresolved and speculation isn’t slowing down. To clarify the confusion, FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira joined “The Joel Klatt Show” on Monday morning to weigh in. “It’s the right call with what they were looking at, but it’s wrong… they didn’t follow the protocol, which, by the way, is not in the rule book,” Pereira said. “It is not. There’s a lot of ways that you look at things called philosophy.” Determining how much time remained on the clock in real time can be challenging. Pereira explained the process, noting that when a discrepancy occurs, replay officials are instructed to rely on the broadcast clock visible to viewers at home. “The official replay officials have been told that if there is a discrepancy, use the television footage,” Pereira said. “Do not use your footage in the command center. Use the footage that 10 million people are watching, not the one that’s three.” While Pereira acknowledged that the clock error should never have occurred in the first place, he said that there shouldn’t have been a final play. From all the information that he has, Pereira believes the officials simply made the best call they could with the information available to them. “When it’s all said and done, that’s what should have happened, and there shouldn’t have been another play,” Pereira said. “They did not look at the television copy of what was being shown to all of us.” Outrage across social media hasn’t slowed down since Michigan pulled off its game-winning Hail Mary. While Pereira sympathizes with Western Michigan over the heartbreak, he made it clear that any criticism belongs squarely on the shoulders of the replay center. “I feel horrible listening to what’s being said on the internet and everybody is ripping the officials,” Pereira said. “The officials had the game over. So they’re the wrong group to say if you’re going to attach blame, they didn’t do anything wrong. It’s the replay center that made this decision.” While Pereira understands the severity of the backlash, he believes the focus should now shift toward fixing the process to prevent similar clock discrepancies in the future. “I think it’s a huge question, and the question is certainly in the minds of everybody with Western Michigan and Michigan itself is who won the game, who lost the game,” Pereira said. But in the big picture, why? Why did this really happen? I think that’s what we have to look into.”