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Controversy In Michigan Tarnishes NCAA’s Otherwise Perfect Reputation
Babylon Bee ^ | 09/06/2026 | Babylon Bee

Posted on 09/07/2026 3:23:39 AM PDT by DFG

ANN ARBOR, MI — A highly controversial ending at Michigan Stadium has unfortunately put a slight black eye on the NCAA's otherwise sterling reputation.

Though historically a bastion of high ethics and integrity, the NCAA has come under scrutiny after referees announced the existence of a secret game clock that never reaches zero while Michigan is losing.

"It's an unfortunate blemish for an organization that has always been regarded as carrying itself with the utmost virtue," said media pundit Dan Bradshaw. "To have a call like this, it raises uncomfortable questions such as 'Why do the refs have a secret clock different from the stadium clock?' and 'Why was there a million-dollar check from FanDuel given to the replay booth after the game?' You hate to see such a respectable organization like the NCAA have a black mark like this."

According to officials, the secret clock is part of a sophisticated new timing system designed to ensure that games do not end until the correct team has won.

"The clock everyone saw hit zero was merely the public-facing clock," explained Big Ten referee Chuck Weatherby. "The official clock is actually a wristwatch worn by a guy named Doug in a windowless room somewhere underneath Michigan Stadium. Doug said there was still a second left. That's really all there is to it."

NCAA representatives quickly moved to reassure fans that the controversy was an isolated incident and in no way called into question the organization's decades-long reputation for honesty, transparency, and putting student-athletes first.

At publishing time, officials had announced that the official NCAA investigation of the NCAA revealed no wrongdoing by the NCAA.


TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: annarbor; babylonbee; collegefootball; michigan; ncaa

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To: Merrick
I'm looking forward to a season where Bama gets more wins than Michigan. In college football program history, Michigan has the most at 1,021 wins. In 2nd place is Ohio State with 991 wins and 3rd place is Bama officially at 988 wins. But that's assuming Ohio State's 12 wins in year 2010 magically disappear, and Bama's 29 wins from 1993, 2005-2007 also magically disappear as per NCAA.

So really Bama is in 2nd place with 1,017 wins, only 4 games behind Michigan's 1,021 wins. And Ohio State is in 3rd place at 1,002 wins. A couple of more seasons like last season, in which Bama got 2 more wins than Michigan, and Bama is caught up to first place overall.

Sources: https://www.winsipedia.com/ranking/all-time-wins
https://www.winsipedia.com/alabama/schedule/1993
https://www.winsipedia.com/alabama/schedule/2005
https://www.winsipedia.com/alabama/schedule/2006
https://www.winsipedia.com/alabama/schedule/2007

21 posted on 09/07/2026 6:05:25 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: DFG

i was howling with laughter when i saw the headline, at first thinking it was real ... as a fake, it’s still hilarious ...


22 posted on 09/07/2026 6:36:51 AM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: Tell It Right

Number of wins is a subjective tally

Schedules

Man that Michigan win I was. Like WTH

I think it’s Michigan historic prestige with the sports institutional peeps and the $$$

Can’t have them damaged so badly first game

College sports is a cesspool


23 posted on 09/07/2026 6:51:02 AM PDT by wardaddy (We need a Thermidorian reply )
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To: DFG

What a scam! What the officials did should not have stood.


24 posted on 09/07/2026 7:20:38 AM PDT by DownInFlames (p)
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To: mewzilla

They ABSOLUTELY share that opinion - voiced by, for instance, Bongino BEFORE he was AD, WHILE he was AD, and SINCE he was AD.

Anyone who thinks life is fair, well...

Fair and legal aren’t REMOTELY the same thing. Ever heard of the Voter Rights Act? I could name FIFTY other laws like that without breaking a sweat.


25 posted on 09/07/2026 7:30:35 AM PDT by Merrick (It's a car - that runs on water, man!)
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To: Tell It Right

Yeah - we’ll see. The thing about holding a record is, you can’t hold it forever. Let’s see how many decades “Bama” holds onto it after Michigan - if it actually happens.


26 posted on 09/07/2026 7:33:44 AM PDT by Merrick (It's a car - that runs on water, man!)
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To: mewzilla

I hope so.


27 posted on 09/07/2026 7:58:05 AM PDT by equaviator (Nobody's perfect. That's why they put pencils on erasers!)
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To: DFG

The sarcasm is strong in this one.


28 posted on 09/07/2026 8:22:01 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (I just want FReepers to READ THE ARTICLE. And then think 30 secs before pounding keyboard.)
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To: equaviator
Since they have allowed betting on games this has become more common.
29 posted on 09/07/2026 8:23:33 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (I just want FReepers to READ THE ARTICLE. And then think 30 secs before pounding keyboard.)
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To: DFG

They added the leap second.


30 posted on 09/07/2026 8:28:57 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: DFG

31 posted on 09/07/2026 9:02:04 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: DFG

It’s now The Big 01 Conference.


32 posted on 09/07/2026 9:11:15 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: DFG

33 posted on 09/07/2026 2:17:06 PM PDT by Texan4Life
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To: DFG

Mail-In Second.


34 posted on 09/07/2026 2:41:26 PM PDT by Fledermaus (Free Republic is now all Trump hatred all the time from a handful of "Me, Me, Me" babies. )
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To: Merrick

They were addicted to it. My goodness they stole plays from The Jets!


35 posted on 09/07/2026 2:43:04 PM PDT by Fledermaus (Free Republic is now all Trump hatred all the time from a handful of "Me, Me, Me" babies. )
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To: Merrick
Numbers-wise, so far it looks like DeBoer has the mojo Saban had.

Bama coach Kalen DeBoer chasing the goats. At 29 games so far with Bama (compared to Saban and Bear Bryant at the same number of games): DeBoer: 21-8 Saban: 21-8 Brant: 18-7-4

Post season comparisons. At this point they had: DeBoer: 2 playoff games + 1 SEC championship game + 1 bowl game

Saban: 1 SEC championship game + 1 bowl game

Bryant: 1 bowl game

In other words, an argument could be made that at least the post season play has been stiffer and more games for DeBoer than for Saban and especially Bear. Yet DeBoer has the same record as Saban.

36 posted on 09/07/2026 6:03:53 PM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: DFG

Well at least Michigan’s stadium lights work.


37 posted on 09/08/2026 5:39:11 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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