Did Oklahoma find a spot in Phil Steele's Most Improved List? Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher, Brent Venables' Sooners, & more
The Oklahoma Sooners are one of the college teams that made the insider Phil Steele's most improved list for the upcoming 2023 season.
College football analyst Phil Steele has once again released the latest edition of his annual magazine, Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. Released annually by his company, Phil Steele Publication, it provides extensive analysis and predictions of the upcoming season.
Authored mostly by the college football insider, this edition also provides an in-depth analysis of the programs he believes will experience significant progress in 2023. With a few months to the start of the season, Steele listed 16 college football teams that have improved significantly.
Recognized as a highly esteemed forecaster in the sports media, Phil Steele is known for his accurate predictions in the game of football. As a result of his laudable track record, he has been described as a “highly respected prognosticator” by the Los Angeles Times.
Let’s take a look at the top 5 most improved teams for the 2023 college football season in the recently published magazines:
Phil Steele’s Top 5 most improved college football programs
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#1, Texas A&M
The Aggies were ranked No. 1 during the 2022 recruiting class. However, Jimbo Fisher's team ended the 2022 college football season with a 5-7 record, missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 2008.
However, Steele envisions a significant opportunity for remarkable improvement within the team. He believes the Aggies' defense will be one of their major strengths in the upcoming season. He also sees the offense led by QB Conner Weigman doing a great job.
#2, Oklahoma
Brent Venables' first season in charge of Oklahoma didn't go as many had anticipated. The Sooners ended the 2022 college football season with a 6-7 record, marking their first losing season since 1998.
Steele believes that Oklahoma was a victim of a couple of tough losses last season. He highlighted five of their games which were decided by a single score as a phenomenon not likely to repeat itself in the upcoming season.
#3, Appalachian State
The inclusion of the Mountaineers comes as a surprise for many college football enthusiasts. Ending the 2022 season on a 6-6 record, the team has lost half of its starters.
However, Phil Steele believes a couple of factors will aid Appalachian State's improvement despite having only 11 returning starters. This includes their impressive home record. The Mountaineers are 43-6 at home in the last 8 years.
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#4, Miami
The Hurricanes are also an interesting pick by the college football insider. Miami ended the 2022 season with a 5-7 record and will be having nine of the starters back for the upcoming season.
Steele feels improvement for the Hurricanes in the upcoming season isn't about making the playoffs or any other thing. It's just about regaining eligibility for a bowl game and remaining competitive in the league standings.
#5, UTEP
Phil Steele is incredibly enthusiastic and optimistic about the potential of the Miners' offense this year. The team’s offensive line is currently ranked No. 1 in the C-USA and has QB Gavin Hardison and RB Deion Hankins behind it.
UTEP ended the 2022 season with a 5-7 season record and failed to reach a bowl game. However, Steele anticipates a strong resurgence from the Miners, predicting their return to the postseason and even a potential appearance in the conference title game.