▁in ▁a ▁bow l ▁game , ▁and ▁assert ed ▁that ▁Michigan ▁and ▁other ▁Big ▁N ine ▁schools ▁were ▁unw illing ▁to ▁schedule ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season . ▁ ▁Detroit ▁Free ▁Press ▁sports ▁editor , ▁Ly all ▁Smith , ▁argued ▁the ▁debate ▁should ▁be ▁answered ▁by ▁comparing ▁the ▁two ▁team ' s ▁performance ▁against ▁common ▁oppon ents . ▁Smith ▁noted : ▁" They ▁played ▁three ▁common ▁fo es . ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁beat ▁Pitt , ▁ 4 0 – 6 , ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 3 4 ▁points : ▁Michigan ▁beat ▁Pitt ▁ 5 9 – 0 . ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁defeated ▁North western , ▁ 2 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 , ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁seven ▁points : ▁Michigan ▁beat ▁the ▁' C ats ▁ 4 9 ▁to ▁ 2 1 , ▁for ▁a ▁ 2 8 - point ▁advantage . ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁dropped ▁US C , ▁ 3 6 ▁to ▁ 7 , ▁in ▁what ▁Co ach ▁Frank ▁Le ah y ▁term ed ▁his ▁team ' s ▁' gre at est ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁year ,' ▁while ▁Michigan ▁sla ugh tered ▁the ▁same ▁Tro j ans , ▁ 4 9 ▁to ▁ 0 . ▁Again st ▁those ▁three ▁common ▁oppon ents ▁the ▁Irish ▁scored ▁ 1 0 4 ▁points ▁to ▁ 3 2 . ▁Michigan ' s ▁margin ▁was ▁ 1 6 7 ▁to ▁ 2 1 ." ▁ ▁Smith ▁also ▁pointed ▁to ▁Michigan ' s ▁strength ▁of ▁schedule : ▁" The ▁teams ▁Michigan ▁played ▁won ▁ 4