Measured against the average of the final Massey Power and Sagarin Predictor rankings:
| 1 | 1944 | CFB Model by Dunham | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 77 | 2021 | ESPN SP+ |
| 3 | 95 | 2039 | Team Rankings |
| 4 | 188 | 2132 | Athlon Sports |
| 5 | 227 | 2171 | College Football News |
| 6 | 266 | 2210 | Phil Steele |
| 7 | 287 | 2231 | McIllece Sports |
| 8 | 296 | 2240 | ESPN FPI |
| 9 | 451 | 2395 | Pro Football Focus |
| 10 | 481 | 2425 | Lindy's Sports |
No predictions were made in 2018-2020.
The 2021 victory margin of 18 by MBD is the all-time (1993-2021) greatest.
The previous greatest was 13 by The Sporting News in 2002.
MBD was not tracked in the 2021 season.
An in-season re-rating algorithm is being designed for 2022 and beyond.
MBD did not complete the 2021 season.
It became obvious that preseason ratings would not stay competitive.
An in-season re-rating algorithm is being designed for 2022 and beyond.