Today is the official on sale date for my 2010 College Football Preview!!! If you do not already have a copy, head out to the bookstores and newsstands today. The magazine is available nationwide at Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, WaldenBooks, Borders, Hastings, Media Play, Target, Books-A-Million, K-Mart and Circle K. There are other locations where we shipped to, so check the magazine section at stores near you. The cost is just $8.95 in the stores but they tend to fly off the shelves. If you’re having trouble finding a copy visit the store or call 1-866-918-7711 and order your copy thru the office (plus shipping).

Yesterday I put up the Toughest Schedules in the country for all 120 teams and as mentioned I feel the way I tabulate the rankings based on this years power ratings as opposed to last years records is by far the best way to determine the toughest schedule.

Today I will look at the teams that will benefit from playing a much easier schedule than last year and conversely teams that play a much more difficult schedule.

Every year in the magazine in my toughest schedule article I publish a “GOING UP BOX” which shows the top teams in terms of having a much easier schedule than the previous year. Last year SMU (1-11 to 8-5, 1st Bowl since 1984!) made that list. I started this box in 2004 and 48 out of the 62 teams (77%) had the same or better record the next year. Last year “only” six of the ten teams improved their record while three of the remaining four teams were just a game away from matching their win total from the previous year. Here is the “GOING UP BOX” from this year’s Toughest Schedule article and the number in the parenthesis is the number of spots that this year’s schedule is easier than last year’s schedule.

I also put a “GOING DOWN BOX” in the article, which shows the teams that take on a much tougher schedule. In the sixyears that I have published the box an amazing 82% of the teams had the same or weaker record the next year! Last year only seven teams made the box and only ONE improved their record. The seven teams had a combined record of 51-39 (57%) in ’08 and went to just 35-52 (40%) in ’09 with Tulsa falling from 11-3 to 5-7. Here are the teams that unfortunately for them play a much tougher schedule and made my “GOING DOWN BOX”

Please check PhilSteele.com everyday to get my Top 30 Countdown, which posted #10 Oregon yesterday. Thru June 16th, I will post both magazine pages on a new team ranked in the Top 30 and you can get an early look on how I breakdown your favorite team. Remember those magazine pages are available for only 24 hours for you to download. Today, Miami, Fl comes in at #9.

Only 86 DAYS LEFT UNTIL THE FIRST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME!!!