Looking back at predictions
by Joey Martin - posted Wednesday, December 12th, 2012 @ 3:09 pm

OK, a show of hands from everyone who picked Alabama to win the national championship.

OK, OK, kind of figured that.

All right, a show of hands from everyone who picked Notre Dame to be playing for a national championship.

OK, OK, put your hand down Mr. Holtz.

It's always fun to look at the football magazines in June and July to see who is being predicted to finish where in the Top 25.

It's just as much fun to do it in December.

Sports Illustrated had Alabama at No. 1 and Southern Cal second. LSU was third, followed by Oregon, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Michigan State, Georgia and West Virginia. No Notre Dame in its Top 25.

Sporting News had LSU at No. 1, followed by Southern Cal and Alabama. Oklahoma came in at No. 4, followed by Virginia Tech, Kansas State, Florida State, Michigan, South Carolina and Texas.

Sporting News had Notre Dame at No. 16.

"Reaching eight wins again is likely—but it won't come easy," the magazine stated. "'When you take into consideration that Ara Parseghian and Lou Holtz both won national titles in their third seasons, this is a big year for Kelly,' former Irish running back Allen Pinkett says."

Phil Steele's 2012 College Football Preview had Florida State beating Oklahoma in the BCS Championship Game.

Steele had Alabama playing Texas in the Fiesta Bowl, Southern Cal against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, LSU versus Michigan in the Sugar Bowl, Oregon against South Florida in the Orange Bowl, Iowa against South Carolina in the Gator Bowl, Arkansas against Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl, Nebraska against Florida in the Outback Bowl and Clemson vs. Tennessee in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl.

Steele, whose top five teams were Florida State, Oklahoma, LSU, Southern Cal and Alabama, had Fresno State taking on Miami, Fl., in the Indepedence Bowl and Louisiana Tech against Bowling Green in the Idaho Potato Bowl.

Steele had Notre Dame at No. 21, saying the third year is usually when a head coach shows the most improvement and this is Kelly's third year in South Bend.

Athon's had Southern Cal at No. 1, followed by LSU and Alabama. Oregon was No. 4 and Oklahoma was fifth.

Lindy's had USC No. 2 behind LSU and Alabama.

Lindy's and Sports Illustrated did not rank Notre Dame.

Putting all college football magazines together, the consensus had Southern Cal at No. 1 (I enjoy saying that over and over), Alabama and LSU tied for second, Oklahoma fourth and Oregon fifth, followed by Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Texas and Arkansas.

Sometimes magazines come out way too early, ask LSU and Arkansas fans.

Notre Dame was concensus No. 24.

As good a job as Bill O'Brien did considering the Penn State situation, you have to hand the Coach of Year award to Brian Kelly.

By the way, Clemson, LSU's opponent in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve, was consensus No. 19 pick, with Lindy's picking the orange Tigers No. 13.

If history tells us anything, don't expect an Alabama, Arkansas or Ole Miss-type finish.

Since 1999, nine of the last 13 final games of the year (LSU-Clemson 6:30 p.m. Dec. 31 kickoff) have been blowouts

Notre Dame will definitely be in everybody's top 10 next year. I can't imagine many magazines not having Alabama and LSU in their top three or four, with one of those teams taking the top spot in the majority.

Look for Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel to grace the cover of a lot of national magazines prior to the season.

The BCS Championship game is right around the corner. Which means the preseason college football magazines are hard at work now for the 2013 season. But a word of advice, maybe hold off until everybody (coaches included) is in camp before releasing your Top 25.