June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)
1. Toledo (might be a click behind WMU based on having some tough road games)
1. Ball St (pointing down a tad based on standard odds that they won't be as lucky on turnovers or close wins)
4. CMU (on par talent-wise, but have a difficult schedule)
5. EMU (all his season projections say they'll get to a bowl)
6. NIU (will be an improved team, but not enough to finish out of the bottom)

East:
1. OU (a lot returning,, also benefits from having Kent and Miami at home)
1. Kent St (QB position with Crum rated 14th in the nation, the only MAC team to break the Top 15 anywhere)
3. Miami (19 returning starters and close to top two, but plays OU/Kent/Ball on the road)
4. UB (would've been picked first in East if Leipold and players didn't go to KU)
5. Akron (this team would probably beat Arth's first team a few years ago by 3 TDs)
6. BG (rated last of 130 FBS teams in the power rank)

Also we're projected as the worst conference in FBS this year after nudging out the C-USA in 2020. Let's prove them wrong.

I've got Phil's magazine on my desk right now. I find myself browsing it far too often while I'm supposed to be working...

I think I've picked it up every year for the last ~10 years. It has more information than every other preseason publication combined. Unreal amount of work that he and his staff put in. He personally talks to 100+ head coaches every year about their team.

He takes a very statistics-based approach to his projections, valuing returning experience over everything. Which I think doesn't always tell the whole story, but when you're previewing 130 FBS teams (he does FCS and NFL stuff, too!), I guess that's the best approach to take.

Anyway, I think it's a must buy for any CFB fan.

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  6. BG (rated last of 130 FBS teams in the power rank)

I can't argue with this. Bowling Green may have the youngest team in the country again this year. This is a full rebuild. This team will turn the corner, but it will take time.

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)

Phil is a genius, and a beautiful person. Here's another snippet from his MAC review:


"Kaleb Eleby and company are going to work up a Number Six on the MAC this season. Not familiar with that one? Well, that's where they go a-ridin' into town, a whampin' and whompin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except for the Chippewas of course..."

(06-27-2021 09:31 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)

Phil is a genius, and a beautiful person. Here's another snippet from his MAC review:


"Kaleb Eleby and company are going to work up a Number Six on the MAC this season. Not familiar with that one? Well, that's where they go a-ridin' into town, a whampin' and whompin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except for the Chippewas of course..."

and then have a late season collapse like usual and remain out of MACC

(06-28-2021 06:55 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(06-27-2021 09:31 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)

Phil is a genius, and a beautiful person. Here's another snippet from his MAC review:


"Kaleb Eleby and company are going to work up a Number Six on the MAC this season. Not familiar with that one? Well, that's where they go a-ridin' into town, a whampin' and whompin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except for the Chippewas of course..."

and then have a late season collapse like usual and remain out of MACC

In the majority of simulations, yes.

(06-28-2021 06:55 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(06-27-2021 09:31 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)

Phil is a genius, and a beautiful person. Here's another snippet from his MAC review:


"Kaleb Eleby and company are going to work up a Number Six on the MAC this season. Not familiar with that one? Well, that's where they go a-ridin' into town, a whampin' and whompin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except for the Chippewas of course..."

and then have a late season collapse like usual and remain out of MACC

I wish I had a retort to this... but I don't. :(

(06-28-2021 09:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  

(06-28-2021 06:55 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(06-27-2021 09:31 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)

Phil is a genius, and a beautiful person. Here's another snippet from his MAC review:


"Kaleb Eleby and company are going to work up a Number Six on the MAC this season. Not familiar with that one? Well, that's where they go a-ridin' into town, a whampin' and whompin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except for the Chippewas of course..."

and then have a late season collapse like usual and remain out of MACC

I wish I had a retort to this... but I don't. :(

I'll try "Jim McElwain's record vs. WMU" for $100, Alex.

(06-28-2021 09:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  

(06-28-2021 06:55 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(06-27-2021 09:31 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)

Phil is a genius, and a beautiful person. Here's another snippet from his MAC review:


"Kaleb Eleby and company are going to work up a Number Six on the MAC this season. Not familiar with that one? Well, that's where they go a-ridin' into town, a whampin' and whompin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except for the Chippewas of course..."

and then have a late season collapse like usual and remain out of MACC

I wish I had a retort to this... but I don't. :(

lol but WMU owns CMU football over the last decade plus so you have that

(06-28-2021 12:50 PM)The Colonel Wrote:  

(06-28-2021 09:57 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  

(06-28-2021 06:55 AM)cmufanatic Wrote:  

(06-27-2021 09:31 AM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote:  

(06-25-2021 01:31 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  June is here which means I've got my Steele football magazine for the 12th year in a row. Don't envy the job he had to compare teams that played as few as two games last season, but here's the projected standings with a note on each team based on his commentary.

West
1. WMU (favored based on returning 19 starters from a solid team last year)

Phil is a genius, and a beautiful person. Here's another snippet from his MAC review:


"Kaleb Eleby and company are going to work up a Number Six on the MAC this season. Not familiar with that one? Well, that's where they go a-ridin' into town, a whampin' and whompin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except for the Chippewas of course..."

and then have a late season collapse like usual and remain out of MACC

I wish I had a retort to this... but I don't. :(

I'll try "Jim McElwain's record vs. WMU" for $100, Alex.

and bono and enos

I've seen WMU picked 1st, 3rd, & 4th

I got Athlon magazine a few weeks ago.

Going to be a fun year no doubt!

FYI and not creating a new thread, but for any MAC fans in New England or eastern NY or Northern New jersey, UMass has a three game minipack with Boston College and pick any two other teams as Toledo and Eastern Michigan.

Quote:Three-Game Mini Plans
Mini Plan Pricing Price
Boston College + Any 2 Other Home Games $84
3-Game Parking $15
New for 2021, mini plans include a Prime ticket to the BC game, as well as your choice of any two other games being played in Amherst. The remaining home slate includes Eastern Michigan (Sept. 18), Toledo (Oct. 2), UConn (Oct. 9), Rhode Island (Nov. 6) and Maine (Nov. 13). Mini plans also offer fans the opportunity to purchase discounted gameday parking.