For the first time since Week 3, a college football game didn’t top five million viewers. Additionally, CBS didn’t have the most-watched game of the week for the first time since Week 2.
ABC took home the top two spots this week, which includes a head to head win at noon over Fox’s cornerstone Big Noon package and over the SEC on CBS at 3:30 PM.
Syracuse-Clemson was the top game of the weekend in that noon ABC window, averaging 4.747 million viewers. That’s up from both last week (Iowa State-Texas, 2.35 million) and last year (Illinois-Texas, 3.765 million). Fox’s Big Noon broadcast of Iowa-Ohio State averaged 4.377 million viewers, down from last week (Penn State-Michigan, 6.45 million) and up from last year (Northwestern-Michigan, 3.235 million). ESPN2 topped ESPN at noon, drawing 744,000 for Kansas-Baylor, down from both last week (Kansas-Oklahoma, 1.21 million) and last year (Cincinnati-Navy, 769,000). On ESPN, 682,000 watched Cincinnati-SMU, down from both last week (Auburn-Ole Miss, 2.06 million) and last year (Oklahoma-Kansas, 2.645 million).
In the 3:30 PM window, ABC drew 4.461 million for Texas-Oklahoma State. That’s up from both last week (Oklahoma State-TCU, 2.14 million) and last year (Oregon-UCLA, 3.845 million). CBS averaged 3.857 million for Ole Miss-LSU, down from last week (Alabama-Tennessee, 11.56 million) and up last year (LSU-Ole Miss, 3.109 million). Fox drew 3.335 million for UCLA-Oregon, up from last week (Wisconsin-Michigan State, 2.45 million) and last year (Oklahoma State-Iowa State, 2.659 million). ESPN drew 1.005 million for Wisconsin-Purdue, down from both last week (Arkansas-BYU, 1.06 million) and last year (Clemson-Pitt, 2.162 million). FS1 brought up the rear with 542,000 for West Virginia-Texas Tech, with no comparable game last week and up from last year (BYU-Washington State, 466,000).
ABC won the college football primetime slot as well. 3.537 million watched Minnesota-Penn State, up from last week (Clemson-Florida State, 3.38 million) and last year (Ohio State-Indiana, 3.347 million). On ESPN, 3.459 million watched Mississippi State-Alabama, up from last week (LSU-Florida, 2.46 million) and down from last year (Tennessee-Alabama, 4.679 million). On FS1, 1.530 million watched Kansas State-TCU, with no comparable game last week and up from last year (Nevada-Fresno State, 233,000).
Finally, 1.318 million watched Washington-Cal in late night on ESPN. There was no comparable game either last week or last year.
[Data via ShowBuzz Daily, Sports Media Watch]
