Phil Steele, whose annual college football preview has become the go‑to reference for fans and analysts alike, found himself at the center of a controversy when counterfeit copies of his 2026 edition began appearing on Amazon.
The fraudulent listings, marketed as "Phil Steele’s College Football Preview 2026," came in four different page counts — 58, 70, 45 and 93 pages — and were quickly flagged for their glaring omissions and mistakes.
One version mistakenly placed Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin in jersey number 18 instead of the correct 10, while another displayed a 16‑line playoff bracket that listed ten offensive players and only eight on defense, a mismatch that betrayed its amateur origins.
Two of the bogus editions listed authors Russel Brieveton and Gilgert Martwel, names that cannot be verified anywhere online, and they omitted the signature two‑page spreads and detailed team charts that have defined Steele’s magazine for decades.
A cautionary tale for publishers
Steele took to social media and his own website to warn readers, calling the counterfeit products "slop" and expressing concern that local radio hosts might inadvertently promote them, potentially damaging their credibility.
After Steele and The Athletic reported the listings, Amazon removed the four fake editions, citing its content‑guideline policies aimed at preventing counterfeit sales, though a company spokesperson later noted that the platform’s safeguards are designed to catch such violations before they proliferate.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of niche publications on large marketplaces and highlights the continued strength of Steele’s legitimate distribution network, which includes Barnes & Noble, Books‑A‑Million, airport newsstands and his own site, philsteele.com.