In the long tradition of sport as a mirror of institutional order, the NCAA has declined to reverse Michigan's victory over Western Michigan following a formal appeal by the Mid-American Conference, affirming that once a game concludes, its outcome belongs to history rather than to governance. The ruling, issued in early September 2026, does not speak to the merits of the MAC's grievance but to a foundational boundary: the NCAA's authority governs conduct, eligibility, and enforcement — not the rewriting of completed contests. It is a reminder that even the most powerful governing bodies opera