These polls, in recent years, have been presented on the BAHL Revere blog. At some point in the future, they will be presented on a different platform, which will be made clear for those following here on BAHL Revere.
In the past, contests have been won and articles have been written about the success of these polls. Sadly, I have not parlayed that into any monetary game, and embarrassment for the capitalist I am.
This year, we tested how our poll, presented as The Color & Pageantry, fared against others who offered a glimpse into gridiron futures.
Polls were scored with each losing points due to how far a team finished away from where the pollster predicted they would finish. Positive points were to be assessed for anyone who correctly predicted the nation champion, which no one did. Low score wins.
The following are the results:
1 The Color & Pageantry, -263
2. Sports Illustrated, -269
3. Lindy's, -276
4. College Football News, -282
Associated Press, -282
6. USA Today, -284
7. The Sporting News, -285
8. ESPN, -289
9. Athlons, -289
10. About.com, -297
11. Phil Steele, -299
Phil Steele had national champion Florida State rated the highest, third, with The Color & Pageantry next having the Seminoles seventh, even though this is my Alma mater. Steele's last place finish is somewhat misleading, with high rankings for USC, Oklahoma State and Virgina Tech digging too deep a hole for him to overcome.
None of the polls had Auburn ranked, nor Missouri or Central Florida. Schools that hurt most pollsters were Nebraska, Southern Cal, Michigan and Texas. Boise State and Texas Christian were ranked in the top 15 by a handful, which really hurt.
So there you have it. With zero fanfare, The Color & Pageantry gave you the closest preseason poll for 2013. I enjoy the work of each of these competitors, and the analysis was done with respect.
The color and pageantry, passion and competitive spirit of college football make it America's best game, and we eagerly await its return as Labor Day approaches.
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