See "notes" following the table for more information on its contents.
| Magazine | Rank | Total Score |
2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| DRatings.com | 1 | 1,245 | 342 | 353 | 229 | 174 | 175 |
| McIllece Sports | 2 | 1,252 | 342 | 350.5 | 216.5 | 160 | 183 |
| Pick Six Previews | 3 | 1,252.5 | 346.5 | 344.5 | 225 | 167.5 | 169 |
| Athlon | 4 | 1,259 | 341 | 348 | 218 | 172 | 180 |
| Phil Steele | 5 | 1,263.5 | 353 | 339 | 221.5 | 176 | 174 |
| Arena Fanatic | 6 | 1,285.5 | 331 | 370.5 | 226.5 | 188 | 169.5 |
| Versus Sports Simulator | 7 | 1,304.5 | 358 | 385.5 | 216.5 | 168 | 176.5 |
| Lindy's | 8 | 1,311 | 358 | 368 | 218 | 177 | 190 |
| ESPN | 9 | 1,334 | 339 | 389 | 244 | 174 | 188 |
| CollegeFootballPoll.com | 10 | 1,349.5 | 353.5 | 373.5 | 237.5 | 184 | 201 |
This page shows the accuracy of preseason magazines' conference predictions for the five-year span 2021-2025 ("the last five years" going into the 2026 season). In order to qualify for either table, a magazine must have been published for every year used in that table.
There is also a "2023-2025 (last three years)" table and a "2016-2025 (last ten years)" table.
Tables with more years have the advantage of having a larger sample of data: a single unusually lucky or unlucky year has less impact on the standings. However, tables with fewer years have the advantage of including more magazines: several of the magazines available today were not published if one goes back far enough.
Notes: