Just after Clemson beat Bama in the 2017 national championship game, Sports Illustrated published a “way too early” top ten for the 2018 season – mostly safe picks with a couple of schools everyone was talking up. Had they stuck to the basics and passed on the unproven teams they would’ve been real close. Here’s how they fared:
1. Alabama 13-1 did indeed win the championship, after having to lobby their way into the playoff. Way to go out on a limb.
2. USC 11-3: SI was pulling for sophomore QB Matt Barkley. They were wrong. Actual finish = 12th.
3. Penn State 11-2: started strong then faded to 8th. How could three Big Ten East teams all finish in the top ten? But by picking all three, at least they got close on two of them.
4. FSU 7-6: dropped off the face of the earth – out of the top 25. SI should’ve known there was no way the loser of the FSU/Clemson game could go to the playoff – or finish in the top six.
5. LSU 9-4 finished 18th. Dumb pick. Hard for two SEC West teams to finish in the top five.
6. Clemson 12-2 made the playoff and finished 4th, so they should’ve been higher.
7. Ohio State 12-2 finished ranked 5th.
8. Oklahoma 12-2: SI should’ve placed them higher – they made the playoff and finished third.
9. Washington 10-3 finished 16th.
10. Michigan 8-5: SI loves Harbaugh. So did their opponents – they finished out of the top 25.
Georgia finished second with a 13-2 record. They played more games than anyone else.
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