Phil Steele’s full 2022 preseason college football top 40 rankings
Phil Steele is one of the top voices in all of college football. His annual college football preview magazine is something fans look forward to every year.
Now, we get a look at his preseason top 40 college football rankings. The Iowa Hawkeyes are inside his top 20 after winning the Big Ten West in 2021. How many other Big Ten teams find their way inside the top 40?
According to Phil Steele, seven Big Ten teams will finish inside the top 40. Is one of them perhaps his predicted national champion? Let’s take a look below at how Phil Steele projects all of the top 40 to shake out in 2022.
Fresno State Bulldogs
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 10-3
Projected starting QB: Jake Haener
Head coach: Jeff Tedford
Appalachian State Mountaineers
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 10-4
Projected starting QB: Chase Brice
Head coach: Shawn Clark
Kansas State Wildcats
Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 8-5
Projected starting QB: Adrian Martinez
Head coach: Chris Klieman
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 9-4
Projected starting QB: Tanner Morgan
Head coach: P.J. Fleck
Arkansas Razorbacks
Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 9-4
Projected starting QB: KJ Jefferson
Head coach: Sam Pittman
Kentucky Wildcats
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 10-3
Projected starting QB: Will Levis
Head coach: Mark Stoops
Houston Cougars
Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 12-2
Projected starting QB: Clayton Tune
Head coach: Dana Holgorsen
Louisville Cardinals
Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 6-7
Projected starting QB: Malik Cunningham
Head coach: Scott Satterfield
Florida Gators
Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner
2021 record: 6-7
Projected starting QB: Anthony Richardson
Head coach: Billy Napier
Boise State Broncos
Jon Austria/The Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 7-5
Projected starting QB: Hank Bachmeier
Head coach: Andy Avalos
Ole Miss Rebels
John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 10-3
Projected starting QB: Jaxson Dart
Head coach: Lane Kiffin
Air Force Falcons
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 10-3
Projected starting QB: Haaziq Daniels
Head coach: Troy Calhoun
UCLA Bruins
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 8-4
Projected starting QB: Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Head coach: Chip Kelly
Tennessee Volunteers
Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 7-6
Projected starting QB: Hendon Hooker
Head coach: Josh Heupel
BYU Cougars
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 10-3
Projected starting QB: Jaren Hall
Head coach: Kalani Sitake
Cincinnati Bearcats
Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 13-1
Projected starting QB: Evan Prater
Head coach: Luke Fickell
Wake Forest
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 11-3
Projected starting QB: Sam Hartman
Head coach: Dave Clawson
Michigan State Spartans
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 11-2
Projected starting QB: Payton Thorne
Head coach: Mel Tucker
Penn State Nittany Lions
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 7-6
Projected starting QB: Sean Clifford
Head coach: James Franklin
UAB Blazers
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 9-4
Projected starting QB: Dylan Hopkins
Head coach: Bryant Vincent
Iowa Hawkeyes
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
2021 record: 10-4
Projected starting QB: Spencer Petras
Head coach: Kirk Ferentz
Wisconsin Badgers
Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 9-4
Projected starting QB: Graham Mertz
Head coach: Paul Chryst
Texas Longhorns
Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 5-7
Projected starting QB: Quinn Ewers
Head coach: Tom Herman
UCF Knights
Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images
2021 record: 9-4
Projected starting QB: Mikey Keene
Head coach: Gus Malzahn
USC Trojans
Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 4-8
Projected starting QB: Caleb Williams
Head coach: Lincoln Riley
Oklahoma State Cowboys
SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 12-2
Projected starting QB: Spencer Sanders
Head coach: Mike Gundy
Baylor Bears
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 12-2
Projected starting QB: Blake Shapen
Head coach: Dave Aranda
North Carolina State
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 9-3
Projected starting QB: Devin Leary
Head coach: Dave Doeren
Miami Hurricanes
Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 7-5
Projected starting QB: Tyler Van Dyke
Head coach: Mario Cristobal
Pittsburgh Panthers
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 11-3
Projected starting QB: Kedon Slovis
Head coach: Pat Narduzzi
Oregon Ducks
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 10-4
Projected starting QB: Bo Nix
Head coach: Dan Lanning
Texas A&M Aggies
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 8-4
Projected starting QB: Max Johnson
Head coach: Jimbo Fisher
Oklahoma Sooners
BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 11-2
Projected starting QB: Dillon Gabriel
Head coach: Brent Venables
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 11-2
Projected starting QB: Tyler Buchner
Head coach: Marcus Freeman
Utah Utes
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 10-4
Projected starting QB: Cameron Rising
Head coach: Kyle Whittingham
Michigan Wolverines
Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 12-2
Projected starting QB: Cade McNamara
Head coach: Jim Harbaugh
Clemson Tigers
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
2021 record: 10-3
Projected starting QB: DJ Uiagalelei
Head coach: Dabo Swinney
Georgia Bulldogs
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
2021 record: 14-1
Projected starting QB: Stetson Bennett
Head coach: Kirby Smart
Ohio State Buckeyes
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Record in 2021: 11-2
Projected starting QB: C.J. Stroud
Head coach: Ryan Day
Alabama Crimson Tide
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Record in 2021: 13-2
Projected starting QB: Bryce Young
Head coach: Nick Saban
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