- Because of the pandemic, Steele’s “College Football Preview” only available at Barnes and Noble and Books a Million
- The former ESPN expert explained why he ranked Texas A&M, USC high
- Steele sees two teams — USC and Ole Miss — potentially surprising football fans
Phil Steele joined The Jboy Show, the number-one sports source for Auburn and the SEC, to discuss the upcoming season of college football. Steele is a former ESPN insider and author of Phil Steele’s “College Football Preview” every year.
Listen to the interview here: http://nnw.fm/ckKcS
The JBoy Show host Jake Crain and Steele discussed how the pandemic has affected the publication, a comprehensive, 350-page magazine that takes six months from creation to publication. Steele noted that he begins work on the preview the Sunday after Thanksgiving; it is typically released by the end of May.
This year, Steele said, the release of the publication was delayed due to the pandemic; it wasn’t released until July 8. The pandemic impacted the release in other ways as well, Steele said, noting that typically 500,000 magazines are printed and distributed through a number of locations. This year the preview will have limited distribution, with only 50,000 printed copies that will be available only at Barnes and Noble and Books a Million.
Crain took the time to ask Steele about specifics within the preview and the thought process behind Texas A&M and USC’s ranking.
Steele observed that the lack of seniors at Texas A & M last year means that this year’s team has 17 returning starters. The school’s schedule last year was demanding, playing five top teams, with a much easier schedule this year. Experience and schedule combined makes the team one of Steele’s top picks at number five for the upcoming season.
Steele ranked USC at number 11 because of the talent on the team. Last year USC had a number of players out due to injuries, and those players are all returning. That combined with the school’s strong recruiting strategy makes a strong case for USC having a chance of winning the PAC 12 this year, Steele said.
“Is there a team in the SEC that may surprise us?” asked Crain.
“I’ll answer with two teams,” said Steele. “One would be South Carolina — it’s been an injury-playing squad. You go over the last two years, and they have suffered massive injuries both side of the football. . . South Carolina can surprise you if they stay healthier. I think you’re going to see a much improved offense.
“In the West, I’m going to say Old Miss. I really like the talent they have there,” he continued. “It wouldn’t surprise me to see them flirting with a potential bowl.”
This discussion between Jake Crain and Phil Steele can be found, along with all the JBoy Show podcast episodes, on Anchor, iTunes/Apple, Spotify, Google, Breaker, Overcast, PocketCasts, RadioPublic or YouTube.
Hosted by Jake Crain, the JBoy Show burst on the podcast scene in April 2020, delivering an in-depth look at Southeastern Conference (“SEC”) sports with an emphasis on the SEC West. With topics ranging from recruiting and real-life athlete experiences to a multi-episode series honoring legendary Auburn football Coach Pat Dye, the JBoy Show has already been ranked as one of the top-10 sports news shows on Apple Podcasts.
For more information about the JBoy Show, visit www.TheJBoyShow.com.
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