There is one piece of research I can do, and that involves entering credentials. I've looked through ND and Michigan’s recruits in the last three years and I'll post what's on the rivals/scout sites. I only used scout for 2007/2006 (I don’t have unlimited time!) I will only list athletes with a test score in addition to GPA because core GPA, like graduation rates, are deceptive. At the very least, you can conclude that were it not for football, many of these students would not have had any shot at getting into the University, even if the school gave them 20 points simply for being an "under-represented" minority (
). An outstanding accomplishment certainly helps, but when you have just a 810 combined SAT while everyone else is significantly higher, you can't make up that gap. Note that very few players from either team had their GPA and test score listed. Notre Dame had just two outstanding academic recruits. Michigan had just one. Overall, the GPA scales and test scores for both teams are roughly the same.
ND (2008):
Robert Blanton: 3.0 GPA, 810 SAT (COMBINED!)
Sean Cwynar: 4.2 GPA, 27 ACT
Ethan Johnson: 3.27 (3.1 Core), 20 ACT (but will retake, didn’t study, retake results not listed)
Brandon Newman: 3.9 (3.8 core), 18 ACT (horrendous!)
Trevor Robinson: 3.92 GPA, 28 ACT (outstanding)
Deion Walker: 3.4 (3.2 Core GPA), 21 ACT
Dayne Crist: 3.6, 1710 SAT (new test)
Michigan (2008):
Sam McGuffie: 3.2 GPA (3.0 Core), 22 ACT
Brandon Moore: 4.2 GPA, 22 ACT, will retake, but retake score not released
Patrick Omameh: 4.0, 28 ACT (Is Black) (Outstanding)
Michael Shaw: 3.22 (3.4 Core), 1550 SAT (I’m assuming he took the new test)
J.T. Floyd: 3.7 GPA, 980 SAT (terrible)
Notre Dame (2007):
Brian Smith: 3.2 GPA, 19 ACT
Robert Hughes: 2.5 GPA, 17 ACT (dreadful)
Matt Romine: 3.4 GPA, 21 ACT
Harrison Smith: 3.7 GPA, 28 ACT, 1850 SAT (new test) (good)
Taylor Dever: 3.0 GPA, 1510 SAT (new test)
Ian Williams: 2.6 GPA, 18 ACT (horrible)
Michigan (2007)
Donovan Warren: 2.9 GPA, 880 SAT (horrendous)
Michael Williams: 3.5, 1650 SAT (old test)
Junior Hemingway: 2.9 GPA, 18 ACT (horrible)
Dave Molk: 3.0 GPA, 25 ACT
Notre Dame (2006):
Matt Carufel: 3.8 GPA, 23 ACT
Konrad Reuland (Has he transferred?): 3.8 GPA, 1610 SAT (new test)
Will Yeatman: 3.4 GPA, 1500 SAT (new test)
Dan Wenger: 4.0 GPA, 1550 SAT (new test)
Toryan Smith: 3.1 GPA, 19 ACT, 1200 SAT (no version listed, but probably new version, in which case score would be atrocious)
Chris Stewart: 4.9/6 GPA, 1650 SAT (new test)
Sergio Brown: 3.0 GPA, 19 ACT
Darrin Walls: 3.4 GPA, 1020 SAT (old test)
Eric Olsen: 2.8 GPA, 1210 SAT (old test)
Demetrius Jones (transferred): 3.3 GPA, 22 ACT
Rob Parris: 3.7 GPA, 1600 SAT (no version listed)
John Ryan: 3.5 GPA, 1570 SAT (new test)
Paddy Mullen: 2.5 GPA, 20 ACT
Zach Fraser (has he transferred?): 3.2 GPA, 990 SAT (horrible)
Barry Gallup: 3.4 GPA, 1430 SAT (old test)
Michigan (2006):
Carlos Brown: 89% GPA, 890 SAT (horrendous)
Obi Ezeh: 3.6 GPA, 24 ACT
Perry Dorrenstein: 4.3/5 GPA, 24 ACT, 1560 SAT (new test)
Justin “Treasonous” Boren: 3.2 GPA, 1120 SAT, 25 ACT