Several of the national college football preview publications rank the individual units of the teams within a conference. Phil Steele, in his annual College Football Preview issue, examines the same data but expands the comparison to include what he considers the top 50 or so teams on a national scale within the four basic offensive units (quarterback, running backs, receivers and offensive line), three on defensive side of the ball (defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs) and special teams.
Many college football experts consider Steele’s College Football Preview the bible within the sport.
The detailed statistical analyses provided in the publication is far from light-hearted reading, but it does provide a revealing account of the strengths and weaknesses, as well as position breakdowns, scouting reports and a projection for the 2018 season, of 130 FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams in 11 conferences.