Phil Steele Names College Football's Most 'Improved' Team
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 30: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions leads his team onto the field before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium on November 30, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
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The 2020 season was unlike any other for college football teams due to all the obstacles that COVID-19 presented. Hopefully, this upcoming season will be similar to what we've seen in the past.
Though we're still a few months away from the start of the 2021 season, college football expert Phil Steele has already revealed his pick for most improved team this fall.
During an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show, Steele made his argument for why Penn State will have a bounce-back season this fall.
Penn State finished the 2020 season with a 4-5 record, losing its first five Big Ten matchups. It seemed like everything went downhill after the crushing loss to Indiana in overtime. The team did finish the year on a strong note, however, winning its last four games.
Steele is confident that Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin will quickly turn things around for the program, which is why he's picking them as his most improved team.
“Penn State’s my number one most improved team,” Steele said, via 247Sports. “Last year, they were 4-5, had a losing record, but it’s the same team that came into the season ranked number seven in the country. You saw them last year outgain teams by 120 yards per game, despite their 4-5 record. I think Franklin’s got the talent there to really have them up there at the top of the Big Ten. And then my number two most improved team is the team I spoke of: the LSU Tigers. Coming off of a 5-5 season, I think they’ll be back towards double-digit wins this year.”
Steele also mentioned that LSU should be in this conversation for most improved team since they struggled mightily last season. To be fair though, the program lost a few notable assistant coaches to other jobs and top-tier talent, like Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson, to the NFL.
LSU should look much better this fall, especially if Myles Brennan can stay healthy and give the team solid production at the quarterback position.
Which team do you think will have a bounce-back season in 2021?
