Leaders and Best?

The University of Michigan's 2009 football schedule includes the following teams on its non-conference slate:

Western Michigan, September 5th, home. Finished 9-4 on the season. Went 6-2 to tie for 2nd in the Mid-American Conference West. Got bombed by Rice, 38-14, in the Texas Bowl.

Notre Dame, September 12th, home. Went 7-6 with a 49-21 win over Hawaii at the Hawaii Bowl.

Eastern Michigan, September 19th, home. 3-9 last season, but tied for last in the Mid-American Conference West with a team that won at Ann Arbor last year (Toledo, who beat the Wolverines 13-10).

Delaware State, October 17th, home. Championship Subdivision (formerly called Division I-AA) team that went 5-6 last year, all of their wins coming during a 5-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference campaign, good enough for a tie for 2nd place.

Impressed?

As the fight song goes, "Hail, Hail, to Michigan, the leaders and best!"