Back in July, I walked up closely to the table where UCLA coach Bob Chesney sat. The occasion was Big Ten media days, and we were still all weeks away from the start of this now-memorable 2026 season when I told Chesney my most closely held belief about the modern game: You’re about to watch the most competitive season of college football ever. It has never been harder to win than it is in 2026. "I agree with you," he said. "Ultimately," he said, "the margins are thin, and that’s what you’re pointing toward. It’s not easy to be in a position where you just walk out and expect to win a football...