Clayton Thorson got down to the 1... And then things got crazy.
One can argue that Northwestern never should have been in this position. And perhaps that’s true. But in the end, one crazy play—which officially only featured one fumble but looked to have featured two changes of possessions—determined Northwestern’s fate in its season opener.
Here’s the play in full (via ESPN):
There are a few questions to be answered when the official goes to instant replay: First, is Clayton Thorson down before Robert Spillane (No. 10, Western Michigan) rips the ball out?