Preseason Prediction Accuracy (2008-2017)

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

Magazine	Rank	Total Score	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008
Phil Steele	1	1,377	158½	148	131	134½	119	137	148	125½	140	135½
Athlon	2	1,397	146	137	133	151	138	134	154	119	144	141
GamePlan	3	1,404	157	149	133	147	130	147	147	121	132	141
USA Today	4	1,441½	167	144	145½	137	142½	161½	158	108	142	136
Lindy's	5	1,447	157	148	141	145	132	139	151	115	151	168
Street & Smith / The Sporting News	6	1,521	178	147	153	151	148	141	174	125	150	154
CollegeFootballPoll.com	7	1,554	162½	150	161½	175	125	168	179	148	139	146

This page shows the accuracy of preseason magazines' conference predictions for the ten-year span 2008-2017 ("the last ten years" going into the 2018 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 "2015-2017 (last three years)" table, a "2013-2017 (last five years)" table, and a "1993-2017 (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.