Phil's 2006 final rankings for toughest conference....
1.) SEC
2.) Big East
3.) Big 10
4.) PAC 10
5.) ACC
6.) Big 12
7.) WAC
8.) MWC
9.) Independent
10.) CUSA
11.) MAC
12.) Sun Belt
For 2007, Phil considers the SEC as the toughest conference in college football.... Here's a list of his toughest conferences.... (from pg. 18)
1.) SEC
2.) PAC 10
3.) Big 12
4.) Big 10
5.) ACC
6.) Big East
7.) MWC
8.) WAC
9.) CUSA
10.) MAC
11.) Independent
12.) Sun Belt
...but here is his list of "toughest divisions" in the conferences that have 2 divisions.
From Phile Steele....
In the NCAA FBS (formerly known as 1A) there are 11 conferences. In my national magazine
I rate the toughest conferences for this year (see page 18). Of the 11 conferences, 5 of them are
broken into divisions. The SEC, MAC and CUSA all have an EAST and a WEST, the Big 12 has
a NORTH and a SOUTH, the ACC has a COASTAL and ATLANTIC. This week I will take a look at
which DIVISION is the toughest in the NCAA. Here is how I rank them in reverse order:
10. MAC EAST ? The MAC East has some bowl caliber teams but the top 4 teams in the MAC
probably reside in the West. The East also has Temple and Buffalo. Both are improved teams
but they still reside near the bottom of the NCAA this year.
9. MAC WEST ? This is an underrated division as even the team I peg for 6th is a vastly
improved team, but they play a very tough schedule. Toledo, Western Michigan, Northern
Illinois, Central Michigan and Ball St are all capable of being bowl eligible this year and Eastern
Michigan has 16 returning starters and loses just 9 lettermen.
8. CUSA WEST ? Houston looks to be the best team in this league but is replacing their star
QB Kevin Kolb and is probably not as strong as last year?s squad. UTEP, Tulsa, SMU and
Rice are all capable of getting to bowls, but do have some flaws. Tulane is in a rebuilding year.
7. CUSA EAST ? Southern Miss is the class of the conference, Memphis is the most improved
team in the NCAA and Central Florida will resemble their bowl unit of 2005. East Carolina and
Marshall are bowl caliber teams but UAB is in a rebuilding year and has had some summer
attrition (see 2007 NCAA Injuries).
6. BIG 12 NORTH ? The North is getting stronger and has two top 20 teams in Missouri and
Nebraska. Kansas St, Kansas and Colorado are bowl caliber teams but not overpowering.
Iowa St is in a rebuilding year.
5. ACC COASTAL ? I like the power at the top here in Virginia Tech and Miami. Virginia and
Georgia Tech will surprise some teams this year. I would have rated the division higher but
Duke and North Carolina drag it down some.
4. ACC ATLANTIC ? You know I am very high on Florida St this year and the rest of the
division is comprised of bowl caliber teams. Look at my picks for #5 and #6. At #5 I have Wake
Forest, the defending ACC Champ, which has 14 returning starters. At #6 I have Boston
College (because of a killer schedule), a team which has 16 returning starters from their 10-3
team that finished the season ranked #20 last year. There is great depth in this division, but
not as many superpowers as in the top 3 divisions.
3. SEC WEST ? LSU is a dominant team that could be playing for the national title. Alabama
is one of the most improved teams in the NCAA and Auburn and Arkansas both have top 20
talent. This division is brought down some by the presence of Miss St and Ole Miss.
2. BIG 12 SOUTH ? The last couple of years it has been mostly Texas and Oklahoma which
is not a bad place to start as I rank both in the top 6 heading into the year. Texas A&M,
Oklahoma St and Texas Tech are all solid bowl caliber teams. Baylor is the only weak spot in
the division.
1. SEC EAST ? While I do not rank any of these teams in the top 10 heading into the year
there is very little difference between teams #1 thru #4 and one of those teams is the
defending National Champs (Florida). Steve Spurrier may have the most talented team
in the East with South Carolina (but a killer schedule) and Georgia and Tennessee are
both talented enough to win this tough division. At the bottom are two bowl caliber
teams. I am calling for Vanderbilt to make their first bowl since 1982 and the team I pick
for SIXTH is Kentucky, which was 8-5 last year and has 15 returning starters including
QB Woodson, RB Little, WR Burton and TE Tamme.
1.) SEC
2.) Big East
3.) Big 10
4.) PAC 10
5.) ACC
6.) Big 12
7.) WAC
8.) MWC
9.) Independent
10.) CUSA
11.) MAC
12.) Sun Belt
For 2007, Phil considers the SEC as the toughest conference in college football.... Here's a list of his toughest conferences.... (from pg. 18)
1.) SEC
2.) PAC 10
3.) Big 12
4.) Big 10
5.) ACC
6.) Big East
7.) MWC
8.) WAC
9.) CUSA
10.) MAC
11.) Independent
12.) Sun Belt
...but here is his list of "toughest divisions" in the conferences that have 2 divisions.
From Phile Steele....
In the NCAA FBS (formerly known as 1A) there are 11 conferences. In my national magazine
I rate the toughest conferences for this year (see page 18). Of the 11 conferences, 5 of them are
broken into divisions. The SEC, MAC and CUSA all have an EAST and a WEST, the Big 12 has
a NORTH and a SOUTH, the ACC has a COASTAL and ATLANTIC. This week I will take a look at
which DIVISION is the toughest in the NCAA. Here is how I rank them in reverse order:
10. MAC EAST ? The MAC East has some bowl caliber teams but the top 4 teams in the MAC
probably reside in the West. The East also has Temple and Buffalo. Both are improved teams
but they still reside near the bottom of the NCAA this year.
9. MAC WEST ? This is an underrated division as even the team I peg for 6th is a vastly
improved team, but they play a very tough schedule. Toledo, Western Michigan, Northern
Illinois, Central Michigan and Ball St are all capable of being bowl eligible this year and Eastern
Michigan has 16 returning starters and loses just 9 lettermen.
8. CUSA WEST ? Houston looks to be the best team in this league but is replacing their star
QB Kevin Kolb and is probably not as strong as last year?s squad. UTEP, Tulsa, SMU and
Rice are all capable of getting to bowls, but do have some flaws. Tulane is in a rebuilding year.
7. CUSA EAST ? Southern Miss is the class of the conference, Memphis is the most improved
team in the NCAA and Central Florida will resemble their bowl unit of 2005. East Carolina and
Marshall are bowl caliber teams but UAB is in a rebuilding year and has had some summer
attrition (see 2007 NCAA Injuries).
6. BIG 12 NORTH ? The North is getting stronger and has two top 20 teams in Missouri and
Nebraska. Kansas St, Kansas and Colorado are bowl caliber teams but not overpowering.
Iowa St is in a rebuilding year.
5. ACC COASTAL ? I like the power at the top here in Virginia Tech and Miami. Virginia and
Georgia Tech will surprise some teams this year. I would have rated the division higher but
Duke and North Carolina drag it down some.
4. ACC ATLANTIC ? You know I am very high on Florida St this year and the rest of the
division is comprised of bowl caliber teams. Look at my picks for #5 and #6. At #5 I have Wake
Forest, the defending ACC Champ, which has 14 returning starters. At #6 I have Boston
College (because of a killer schedule), a team which has 16 returning starters from their 10-3
team that finished the season ranked #20 last year. There is great depth in this division, but
not as many superpowers as in the top 3 divisions.
3. SEC WEST ? LSU is a dominant team that could be playing for the national title. Alabama
is one of the most improved teams in the NCAA and Auburn and Arkansas both have top 20
talent. This division is brought down some by the presence of Miss St and Ole Miss.
2. BIG 12 SOUTH ? The last couple of years it has been mostly Texas and Oklahoma which
is not a bad place to start as I rank both in the top 6 heading into the year. Texas A&M,
Oklahoma St and Texas Tech are all solid bowl caliber teams. Baylor is the only weak spot in
the division.
1. SEC EAST ? While I do not rank any of these teams in the top 10 heading into the year
there is very little difference between teams #1 thru #4 and one of those teams is the
defending National Champs (Florida). Steve Spurrier may have the most talented team
in the East with South Carolina (but a killer schedule) and Georgia and Tennessee are
both talented enough to win this tough division. At the bottom are two bowl caliber
teams. I am calling for Vanderbilt to make their first bowl since 1982 and the team I pick
for SIXTH is Kentucky, which was 8-5 last year and has 15 returning starters including
QB Woodson, RB Little, WR Burton and TE Tamme.
