Rating the Big Four, one month into the season

[BamaDude]

I compared the pre-season ratings of the Big Four football publications (Street & Smith, Athlon, Lindy's, and Phil Steele) to see which one(s) had the best grasp on the season, to date. Every team in each publication's Top 25 was compared to the current Top 25 rankings from both the Associated Press and the Coaches' Poll. Since not all the same teams are listed in the same order for each poll, the amount of places each publication was off from the two polls was combined, then divided by two. Here are the results (lowest score is the best):

1. Lindy's 114.5
2. Street & Smiths 121.5
3. (tie) Athlon 130.5
- Phil Steele 130.5

Street & Smiths, Athlon & Phil Steele all Alabama #1 & Clemson #2; Lindy's top two were reversed. All the magazines except Phil Steele's had the correct four teams in the top four, but Steele had Washington in there instead of Georgia.

Breakdowns by segments are as follows:

Top 5
1. Street & Smiths 3.5
2. Athlon 10.5
3. Phil Steele 11.0
4. Lindy's 14.0

2nd 5
1. Lindy's 23.0
2. Athlon 25.5
3. Street & Smiths 26.5
4. Phil Steele 30.5

3rd 5
1. Lindy's 26.5
2. Phil Steele 32.5
3. Street & Smiths 33.5
4. Athlon 36.5

4th 5
1. Lindy's 30.5
2. Athlon 36.5
3. Street & Smiths 37.5
4. Phil Steele 42.0

Last 5
1. Phil Steele 14.5
2. (tie) Lindy's 20.5
- Street & Smiths 20.5
4. Athlon 21.5