See "notes" following the table for more information on its contents.
| Magazine | Rank | Total Score |
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| ESPN | 1 | 695.9 | 181.9 | 109 | 126 | 133 | 146 |
| Athlon | 2 | 702.4 | 183.4 | 127 | 109 | 146 | 137 |
| Pick Six Previews | 3 | 706.6 | 160.1 | 135.5 | 119 | 150.5 | 141.5 |
| Phil Steele | 4 | 714.6 | 160.1 | 121.5 | 126.5 | 158.5 | 148 |
| Arena Fanatic | 5 | 722.9 | 178.9 | 132.5 | 132 | 134 | 145.5 |
| DRatings.com | 6 | 724.5 | 186 | 114.5 | 149 | 148 | 156 |
| Lindy's | 7 | 739.1 | 187.1 | 127 | 120 | 157 | 148 |
| McIllece Sports | 8 | 741 | 185.5 | 120 | 132.5 | 156 | 147 |
| Sports Formulator | 9 | 750 | 182 | 136.5 | 115.5 | 162 | 154 |
| Street & Smith / The Sporting News | 10 | 759.7 | 181.7 | 134 | 119 | 178 | 147 |
| CollegeFootballPoll.com | 11 | 766.5 | 196 | 127 | 131 | 162.5 | 150 |
| compughterratings.com | 12 | 774.5 | 191 | 140 | 129.5 | 159.5 | 154.5 |
This page shows the accuracy of preseason magazines' conference predictions for the five-year span 2016-2020 ("the last five years" going into the 2021 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 "2018-2020 (last three years)" table, and a "2011-2020 (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: