College football is a little over a month away, but excitement is already starting to pick up for the latest season. Most coronavirus restrictions will be lifted and fans will pack stadiums to cheer for their respective teams. It’s a rite of passage, each year. Another rite of passage is the release of what many consider the bible of college football prep books.
Phil Steele's College Football Preview magazine is essential reading for anyone eager to fill their brains with CFB knowledge. Dirt and Sprague got a taste of that knowledge, speaking with the man himself.
One controversial pick for Steele has been selecting Washington to beat Oregon in the Pac-12 North. “It comes down to schedule,” Phil says. “If you look at the Ducks, they have to play on the road not only at Ohio State, but Stanford, Washington and Utah. Meanwhile, Washington gets will avoid USC and Utah and will get their most difficult games at home.”
“I like the way Mario Cristobal is building this team,” he said. “The line of scrimmage is big and physical on both sides of the ball.”
How does Phil feel about the Oregon State Beavers, and head coach Jonathan Smith’s job performance these past few seasons? “I thought they would be better than 2-5 last year,” Steele says. “He (Coach Smith) has done a great job building the team. They’ve got good depth and I think Oregon State has a tough schedule, though.”
“They’ll need to pull a couple of upsets, but they’ve done that in the past.”
CHECK OUT THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE PLAYER ABOVE FOR MORE PREVIEWS OF PAC-12 TEAMS!