Some valid concern expressed here re- our next 4 games. That said, WTH? are the phenomenal props for what this team has stunningly accomplished thus far this season?
And, let's set aside last year's 3-9, and just focus on the 8-0 metric held by only 3 teams at the 8-pole in 2026. It's so damn hard to go 8-0, as even undefeated teams experience intra-game lulls that are greeted with woe-is-me's on team chatrooms. Going 12-0 is that much bigly difficult becuz the opposition teams down the stretch are not robots but increasingly incentivized to get on the theater marquee by attracting a spotlight.
The audience I want to most impress are The Wise Guys, whose only dog in the fight is mean green. And, relatively easily beating the Vegas spread EACH AND EVERY GAME of the initial 8, is particularly impressive despite the woe-is-me'ers who look askance at an individual uninspiring quarter or interim underperformance of an O and/or D starter.
Aside from Total O and Total D metrics, another key stat to my trained eye, is net Turnover Margin, wherein UCLA is a runaway #2 of 138 Div 1 teams..............inexplicably trailing only a New Mexico team which has often been confused with a thatched doormat.
I've been wrong thus far this year, as has everyone else here if we choose to be honest. I still don't think we or anyone else is going to hit the magic 12-0 mark, becuz AT Minny, AT The Big House, and (to be fair) only a semi-home game against The Polye$ter Ponzi $cheme ain't chopped liver.
Our O is stuttering somewhat, which is unquestionably our biggest speedbump the rest of the way. Moreover, our Sagarin Strength of Schedule has notably fallen to an uninspiring #61. That said, whatever should happen in the next 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 (possibly 9) games, what The Chez, Kennedy and Hitschler have accomplished has been amazing, inclusive of critical adjustments both intra-game and inter-games.