In 2023 I put up the Schedule predictor on Phil Steelel Plus and have been adding to it each year. I will go over with you in depth what the Schedule Predictor has for you each and every week on Phil Steele Plus and all the great BEST BET records for the categories and overall.

                  Today I wanted to let you know we have been compiling a lot of information for the upcoming year and have put the schedule predicter up on Phil Steele Plus. Here is what is up for you right now.

1. My Preseason Line on EVERY game this year (except first two weeks). After I write the magazine each year I then spend the month of June going thru every matchup for the upcoming year. I look at what my nine sets of power ratings has on each game, series history, matchups, situation, etc and put up who I think should be favored and by how much. These will stay up all year. In 2024 the Best Bets during the season went 80-47 for my Preseason lines! Last year they were 91-58 so Best Bets in this column alone are 171-105 the last two years!

• Last year’s Score with Home-Away factored in. Basing all home field edges at 3, I went thru every game where the two teams matched up last year as well. This takes into account what the score was last year for the game then subtracts the 3-point home edge from the home team and adds it to the team that is now at home for a 6 point difference. As an example, last year Miami beat Notre Dame by 3 at home basically by the 3-point home edge. This year at Notre Dame using the score of last years game, ND should be a 3-point favorite. To use an example from the chart below Oregon beat Wisconsin by 3 in 2024 and were now at home so using that logic should have been favored by 9. Oregon was a 31’ point favorite. That was a 22’ point difference and a Best Bet on Wisconsin +31’ and they only lost by 14. Last year the Best Bets in this category went 88-76.

• Last year’s Line with Home-Away factored in. Basing all home field edges at 3, we went thru every game where the two teams matched up last year as well. This takes into account what the line was last year for the game then subtracts the 3 point home edge from the home team and adds it to the team that is now at home for a 6-point difference. As an example, last year Georgia was a 3-point road favorite at Auburn which would have made Georgia 6 points better in the Vegas ratings but giving Auburn 3 for home field edge. This year Georgia is at home so if they were 6 points better and now adding their 3-point home edge, they would be -9. Basically a 6-point difference favoring the team that is home this year. Giving you an example from the chart pictured below, North Carolina was a 3-point dog at Virginia in 2024 and was now at home so would have been -3. Virginia was actually an 11-point favorite for a 14-point swing in the line. Had North Carolina not fumbled into the end zone for a touchback they would have won outright and easily covered losing just 14-13. The last 3 years the Best Bets in this category have gone 154-129.
• Collin Wison’s (Action Network) Preseason Lines – It is unusual to find someone that puts up a number on every game in the preseason, but Collin Wilson of the Action Network did it 4 years ago and I started incorporating his numbers into the schedule predicter. I want different ways of looking at games and thought this would be a solid contrast/comparison to my lines.
• FPI power ratings with my home field edge – FPI’s power ratings are referred to often on ESPN and in media. FPI is the mathematical ratings on ESPN and the opening power ratings are done. My home edges in the magazine (see team right hand page) range from a 1.5 home edge to a 5.5. home edge. I factor in my home edge to the FPI ratings and have the results for every game listed for the year. Once again this is a solid contrast/comparison to my numbers. During the year I take their weekly rating and add in my home edge and change the numbers each week.
• My Plus/Minus Power Ratings. On page 34 of the magazine, I publish one of my 9 sets of power ratings, the Plus Minus Ratings. These are the ratings that most closely resemble Las Vegas. I went thru every game this year and took those ratings and factored in my home field edge and have a number that should closely resemble the Vegas number. During the season I do adjust these, but this gives you a great idea of who will be favored and who will be a dog this year.
• Phil Steele Plus and VIP’s can access now – All 6 columns are updated for the start of 2026 and if you have purchased Phil Steele Plus for the year or if you are a VIP member getting 4 months free access you can access the Schedule Predictor today. If you have purchased the magazine thru our offices or at Barnes and Noble I will give you half off of Phil Steele Plus for the year. Call 1-888-918-7711. If you bought online or thru the office, we will look you up. If you bought at Barnes and Noble, have you magazine with you and we will ask you a question from a random page. Once verified we will give you a 50% off discount and you can get Phil Steele Plus for the year for just $49. This is ONLY for people that have purchased the magazine this year. The Amazing thing about this offer is that you also get the FBS DIGITAL magazine ($19.95 value) and the FCS Digital magazine ($25 value) FREE when you join Phil Steele Plus!!!
• Las Vegas Numbers for Week 1, 71 Marquee games – There are opening numbers on EVERY FBS game and every FBS vs FCS game for weeks zero and one and Draft Kings has put up 71 Marquee game lines in the other weeks. All of these are listed on the Schedule predictor right now.

Now here is page 44 from this year’s magazine showing you a sample of the Schedule Predictor when it is fully ready for the years.

Now here is an explanation of each category. (page 45).

Become a Phil Steele Plus Member today!! 1-888-918-7711. If you are a Phil Steele Plus member, just go to the website and check out all the numbers and we will keep updating the Schedule predictor every day during football season.