It is human nature to assume that every trend line points endlessly in the same direction, off to some far horizon that looks, more or less, just like our current view.

We see the sun come up every day, and we assume it will again tomorrow. We bet on blue-chip stocks, knowing that, for every blip and dive along the way, they'll pay off in the long run. We hear "Texas is back" each season, and we're secure in the knowledge that, sooner or later, we'll all get to laugh about it again.

Amid an infinite universe filled with mystery, there are some hard truths that are impossible to escape.

Or, at least that's how it used to be.

On Saturday, Nashville, Tennessee, was the center of the college football universe, as Vanderbilt took another step toward the playoff. Week 9 gave us another Vi

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