Preseason Prediction Accuracy (2002-2011)

See "notes" following the table for more information on its contents.

Magazine	Rank	Total Score	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
Phil Steele	1	1415½	148	125½	140	135½	147½	153	132	125	155	153
Athlon	2	1425	154	119	144	141	135	158	134	147	149	144
CPA Rankings [Web Site]	3	1456	157	130	137½	136½	141	170½	144	155	138½	146
GamePlan	4	1457	147	121	132	141	145	174	157	145	141	154
The Sporting News	5	1468	174	125	150	154	140	170	145	133	146	131
Lindy's	6	1469	151	115	151	168	137	171	129	148	149	150

This page shows the accuracy of preseason magazines' conference predictions for the ten-year span 2002-2011 ("the last ten years" going into the 2012 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 "2009-2011 (last three years)" table, a "2007-2011 (last five years)" table, and a "1993-2011 (all-time)" 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:

Lower scores are "better." The lower the score, the closer the magazine's predictions were to the actual results.
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See the notes file for further information on the scoring process.