See "notes" following the table for more information on its contents.
| Magazine | Rank | Total Score |
2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Pick Six Previews | 1 | 751.6 | 168 | 169 | 160.1 | 135.5 | 119 |
| Phil Steele | 2 | 758.1 | 176 | 174 | 160.1 | 121.5 | 126.5 |
| Athlon | 3 | 771.4 | 172 | 180 | 183.4 | 127 | 109 |
| DRatings.com | 4 | 776.5 | 174 | 175 | 186 | 127 | 114.5 |
| ESPN | 5 | 778.9 | 174 | 188 | 181.9 | 109 | 126 |
| McIllece Sports | 6 | 781 | 160 | 183 | 185.5 | 120 | 132.5 |
| Arena Fanatic | 7 | 800.9 | 188 | 169.5 | 178.9 | 132.5 | 132 |
| Lindy's | 8 | 801.1 | 177 | 190 | 187.1 | 127 | 120 |
| Versus Sports Simulator | 9 | 805 | 168 | 176.5 | 191 | 140 | 129.5 |
| CollegeFootballNews.com | 10 | 809.5 | 171 | 176.5 | 183 | 130.5 | 148.5 |
| CollegeFootballPoll.com | 11 | 839 | 184 | 201 | 196 | 127 | 131 |
This page shows the accuracy of preseason magazines' conference predictions for the five-year span 2018-2022 ("the last five years" going into the 2023 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 "2020-2022 (last three years)" table and a "2013-2022 (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: