With the regular season now complete, here are the television ratings for most college football games on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN and ESPN2.
[Click here to jump to the list.]
The biggest names in college football unsurprisingly attracted the biggest numbers during the 2012 regular season. The highest rated and most-watched college football game of the season was the December 1 Alabama/Georgia SEC Championship Game on CBS (9.8, 16.2M), followed close behind by Notre Dame/Southern Cal on ABC November 24 (9.4, 16.1M).
Those two games rank as the fifth and sixth-most viewed regular season college football games of the past 20 years — a good omen for ESPN, which is scheduled to carry the January 7 Notre Dame/Alabama BCS National Championship Game.
Alabama also played in the third and fourth-most viewed games of the 2012 season. Their November 3 win over LSU drew a 6.8 and 11.3 million viewers, while their upset loss to Texas A&M the following week drew a 6.1 and 9.6 million.
Rounding out the top five this season was the November 24 Michigan/Ohio State game on ABC, which earned a 5.8 and 9.5 million viewers.
TV Ratings For 2012 Regular Season College Football Games
P2+ viewership (if available) in parentheses
Double-asterisk (**) indicates overnight rating
UPDATED 12/13: Added final ratings/viewership for Thanksgiving week games on ABC, CBS and FOX
UPDATED 12/15: Added final ratings/viewership for Army/Navy on CBS
| Date |
Rating
|
Away | Home | Time | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK ONE | |||||
| Thu., 8/30/12 |
2.6 (4.1M)
|
South Carolina | Vanderbilt | 7 PM | ESPN |
|
1.5 (2.2M)
|
Wash. St. | BYU | 10 PM | ESPN | |
| Fri., 8/31/12 |
2.7 (4.2M)
|
Boise St. | Michigan St. | 8 PM | ESPN |
|
0.8 (1.5M)
|
Tennessee | N.C. State | 7:30 PM | ESPNU | |
| Sat., 9/1/12 |
4.8 (7.9M)
|
Alabama | Michigan | 8 PM | ABC |
|
2.4 (3.5M)
|
Ohio | Penn State | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.3 (3.5M)
|
Miami | Boston College | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Southern Miss. | Nebraska | ||||
|
2.1 (3.6M)
|
Clemson | Auburn | 7 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.8 (2.8M)
|
Bowling Green | Florida | 3:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (2.0M)
|
Ark. State | Oregon | 10:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (1.8M)
|
Hawaii | USC | 7 PM | FOX | |
|
1.9**
|
Notre Dame | Navy | 9 AM | CBS | |
| Sun., 9/2/12 |
1.5 (2.4M)
|
Kentucky | Louisville | 4 PM | ESPN |
| Mon.,9/3/12 |
2.8 (4.3M)
|
Ga. Tech | Va. Tech | 8 PM | ESPN |
|
WEEK TWO
|
|||||
| Thu., 9/6/12 |
1.6 (2.2M)
|
Pittsburgh | Cincinnati | 8 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 9/7/12 |
N/A (1.6M)
|
Utah | Utah State | 8 PM | ESPN2 |
| Sat., 9/8/12 |
3.3 (4.7M)
|
USC | Syracuse | 3:30 PM | ABC |
| Air Force | Michigan | ||||
|
2.9 (4.5M)
|
Florida | Texas A&M | 3:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.8 (4.3M)
|
Nebraska | UCLA | 8 PM | FOX | |
|
2.4 (4.1M)
|
Georgia
|
Missouri | 7:45 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
2.0 (2.8M)
|
Penn State
|
Virginia
|
12 PM | ABC | |
|
1.9 (2.8M)
|
Purdue
|
Notre Dame
|
3:30 PM | NBC | |
|
1.8 (2.9M)
|
Washington | LSU | 7 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.7 (2.5M)
|
Auburn | Mississippi St. | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.4 (2.2M)
|
UCF | Ohio State | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
| WEEK THREE | |||||
| Thu., 9/13/12 |
N/A (1.3M)
|
Rutgers | USF | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 9/14/12 |
N/A (1.4M)
|
Washington St. | UNLV | 9 PM | ESPN |
| Sat., 9/15/12 |
3.2 (5.0M)
|
Notre Dame | Michigan St. | 8 PM | ABC |
|
3.2
|
Alabama | Arkansas | 3:30 PM | CBS | |
|
3.1 (5.1M)
|
Florida | Tennessee | 6 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.7 (3.8M)
|
Cal | Ohio State | 12 PM | ABC | |
|
2.5 (3.9M)
|
USC | Stanford | 8 PM | FOX | |
|
1.9 (2.7M)
|
Penn State | Navy | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| UNC | Louisville | ||||
|
1.5 (2.4M)
|
Texas | Mississippi | 9:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
WEEK FOUR
|
|||||
| Thu., 9/20/12 |
1.4 (2.1M)
|
BYU | Boise State | 9 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 9/21/12 |
1.5 (2.2M)
|
Baylor | UL-Monroe | 8 PM | ESPN |
| Sat., 9/22/12 |
4.0 (6.4M)
|
Michigan | Notre Dame | 7:30 PM | NBC |
|
2.9 (4.8M)
|
Clemson | FSU | 8 PM | ABC | |
|
2.5
|
Missouri | South Carolina | 3:30 PM | CBS | |
|
2.4 (3.8M)
|
LSU | Auburn | 7 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.3
|
Oregon State | UCLA | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Temple | Penn State | ||||
|
2.0 (3.0M)
|
Arizona | Oregon | 10:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.8 (2.8M)
|
Kansas St. | Oklahoma | 8 PM | FOX | |
|
WEEK FIVE
|
|||||
| Thu., 9/27/12 |
1.4 (2.1M)
|
Stanford | Washington | 9 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 9/28/12 |
1.0 (1.4M)
|
Hawaii | BYU | 8 PM | ESPN |
| Sat., 9/29/12 |
3.3 (5.0M)
|
Ohio State | Michigan St. | 3:30 PM | ABC |
|
2.9
|
Tennessee | Georgia | 3:30 PM | CBS | |
|
2.7 (4.3M)
|
Wisconsin | Nebraska | 8 PM | ABC | |
|
2.5 (3.8M)
|
Texas | Oklahoma St. | 8 PM | FOX | |
|
2.1 (3.5M)
|
Mississippi | Alabama | 9:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (1.9M)
|
South Carolina | Kentucky | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
1.2 (1.7M)
|
Penn State | Illinois | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.1 (1.7M)
|
Oregon | Washington St. | 10:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
1.1 (1.7M)
|
FSU | USF | 6 PM | ESPN | |
|
0.6 (891K)
|
Clemson | Boston College | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.5 (758K)
|
Minnesota | Iowa | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
WEEK SIX
|
|||||
| Thu., 10/4/12 |
1.6 (2.3M)
|
USC | Utah | 9 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 10/5/12 |
1.0 (1.4M)
|
Pittsburgh | Syracuse | 7 PM | ESPN |
|
0.9 (1.4M)
|
Utah State | BYU | 10:15 PM | ESPN | |
| Sat., 10/6/12 |
4.6
|
Florida | LSU | 3:30 PM | CBS |
|
3.1 (5.2M)
|
Nebraska | Ohio State | 8 PM | ABC | |
|
2.9 (4.6M)
|
West Virginia | Texas | 7 PM | FOX | |
|
2.3 (4.0M)
|
Georgia | South Carolina | 7 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.2 (3.7M)
|
Miami | Notre Dame | 7:30 PM | NBC | |
|
2.0 (3.1M)
|
Illinois | Wisconsin | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Oklahoma | Texas Tech | ||||
|
1.7 (2.5M)
|
Washington | Oregon | 10:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.7 (2.5M)
|
Northwestern | Penn State | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (1.9M)
|
Arkansas | Auburn | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
1.1
|
Navy | Air Force | 11:30 AM | CBS | |
|
1.0 (1.4M)
|
Ga. Tech | Clemson | 3:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
0.8 (1.3M)
|
FSU | N.C. State | 8 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.4 (553K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | ||
|
1.0**
|
Arizona | Stanford | 3 PM | FOX | |
|
WEEK SEVEN
|
|||||
| Thu., 10/11/12 |
0.6 (823K)
|
Arizona St. | Colorado | 9 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 10/12/12 |
0.6 (884K)
|
Navy | Cent. Michigan | 8 PM | ESPN2 |
| Sat., 10/13/12 |
3.7 (6.0M)
|
South Carolina | LSU | 8 PM | ESPN |
|
3.3 (5.2M)
|
Stanford | Notre Dame | 3:30 PM | NBC | |
|
3.1 (4.6M)
|
West Virginia | Texas Tech | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Oregon State | BYU | ||||
| Illinois | Michigan | ||||
|
2.3
|
Alabama | Missouri | 3:30 PM | CBS | |
|
1.6 (2.5M)
|
USC | Washington | 7 PM | FOX | |
|
1.4 (2.1M)
|
Iowa | Michigan St. | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
0.7 (1.1M)
|
Tennessee | Mississippi St. | 9 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.7 (990K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window | 3:30 PM | ESPN | ||
|
0.6
|
Utah | UCLA | 3 PM | FOX | |
|
0.4 (672K)
|
Boston College | FSU | 5:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.4 (646K)
|
Northwestern | Minnesota | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
3.5**
|
Texas | Oklahoma | 12 PM | ABC | |
|
WEEK EIGHT
|
|||||
| Tue., 10/16/12 |
0.3 (366K)
|
UL-Lafayette | North Texas | 9 PM | ESPN2 |
| Thu., 10/18/12 |
1.3 (1.9M)
|
Oregon | Arizona St. | 9 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 10/19/12 |
0.8 (1.0M)
|
Connecticut | Syracuse | 8 PM | ESPN |
| Sat., 10/20/12 |
3.1 (4.9M)
|
Florida | South Carolina | 3:30 PM | CBS |
|
3.1 (4.8M)
|
FSU | Miami | 8 PM | ABC | |
| Baylor | Texas | ||||
|
2.9
|
Virginia Tech | Clemson | 12 PM | ABC | |
| Purdue | Ohio State | ||||
|
2.8 (4.2M)
|
LSU | Texas A&M | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.6 (4.0M)
|
USF | Louisville | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Texas Tech | TCU | ||||
| Nebraska | Northwestern | ||||
|
2.5 (4.2M)
|
Alabama | Tennessee | 7 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.4 (3.7M)
|
BYU | Notre Dame | 3:30 PM | NBC | |
|
1.6 (2.5M)
|
Kansas State | West Virginia | 7 PM | FOX | |
|
0.8 (1.3M)
|
Utah | Oregon State | 10:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.4 (666K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | ||
|
0.3 (471K)
|
Middle Tenn. | Mississippi St. | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.3 (460K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window
|
12 PM | ESPN2 | ||
|
0.7**
|
Stanford | Cal | 3 PM | FOX | |
| WEEK NINE | |||||
| Tue., 10/23/12 |
0.5 (778K)
|
Ark. State | UL-Lafayette | 7:30 PM | ESPN2 |
| Thu., 10/25/12 |
0.8 (1.2M)
|
Clemson | Wake Forest | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 10/26/12 |
1.4 (2.0M)
|
Cincinnati | Louisville | 8 PM | ESPN2 |
| Sat., 10/27/12 |
5.2 (8.6M)
|
Notre Dame | Oklahoma | 8 PM | ABC |
|
4.2
|
Georgia | Florida | 3:30 PM | CBS | |
|
2.8
|
Michigan St. | Wisconsin | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| USC | Arizona | ||||
|
2.6 (3.9M)
|
Tennessee | South Carolina | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.3 (3.9M)
|
Ohio State | Penn State | 5:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.1 (3.7M)
|
Mississippi St. | Alabama | 8:45 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (2.0M)
|
Michigan | Nebraska | 8 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.6 (909K)
|
Iowa | Northwestern | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.4 (640K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | ||
|
1.3**
|
Texas Tech | Kansas State | 3 PM | FOX | |
|
WEEK TEN
|
|||||
| Thu., 11/1/12 |
1.3 (1.9M)
|
Virginia Tech | Miami | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 11/2/12 |
0.8 (1.2M)
|
Washington | Cal | 9 PM | ESPN2 |
| Sat., 11/3/12 |
6.8 (11.3M)
|
Alabama | LSU | 8 PM | CBS |
|
3.8 (6.0M)
|
Pittsburgh | Notre Dame | 3:30 PM | NBC | |
|
2.8 (4.5M)
|
Oregon | USC | 7 PM | FOX | |
|
2.7
|
Texas | Texas Tech | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Nebraska | Michigan St. | ||||
|
1.9 (2.9M)
|
Oklahoma St. | Kansas St. | 8 PM | ABC | |
|
1.9
|
Temple | Louisville | 12 PM | ABC | |
| Oklahoma | Iowa State | ||||
|
1.9
|
Mississippi | Georgia | 12 PM | CBS | |
|
1.5 (2.3M)
|
Missouri | Florida | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
1.3 (2.2M)
|
Illinois | Ohio State | 3:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.3 (1.9M)
|
Texas A&M | Mississippi St. | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
0.7 (1.0M)
|
Arizona St. | Oregon St. | 10:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.6 (889K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | ||
|
0.3 (505K)
|
Clemson | Duke | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
1.0**
|
TCU | West Virginia | 3 PM | FOX | |
| WEEK ELEVEN | |||||
| Tue., 11/6/12 |
0.4 (570K)
|
Ball State | Toledo | 8 PM | ESPN2 |
| Wed., 11/7/12 |
0.5 (719K)
|
Bowling Green | Ohio | 8 PM | ESPN2 |
| Thu., 11/8/12 |
1.7 (2.7M)
|
FSU | Virginia Tech | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
|
0.1 (177K)
|
UL-Monroe | Ark. State | 7 PM | ESPNU | |
| Fri., 11/9/12 |
0.6 (931K)
|
Pittsburgh | Connecticut | 8 PM | ESPN2 |
| Sat., 11/10/12 |
6.1 (9.6M)
|
Texas A&M | Alabama | 3:30 PM | CBS |
|
3.6 (5.8M)
|
Notre Dame | Boston College | 8 PM | ABC | |
|
2.3 (3.7M)
|
Oregon | Cal | 10:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.2 (3.5M)
|
West Virginia | Oklahoma St. | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Penn State | Nebraska | ||||
|
1.9 (3.0M)
|
Kansas St. | TCU | 7 PM | FOX | |
|
1.8 (2.6M)
|
Northwestern | Michigan | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.8
|
Arkansas | South Carolina | 12 PM | CBS | |
|
1.6 (2.6M)
|
Mississippi St. | LSU | 7 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.0 (1.7M)
|
Georgia | Auburn | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.5 (735K)
|
UCLA | Washington St. | 10:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.5 (690K)
|
Wisconsin | Indiana | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.4 (617K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | ||
|
0.2 (287K)
|
Maryland | Clemson | 3:30 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.1 (219K)
|
Vanderbilt | Mississippi | 7 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.1 (191K)
|
Idaho | BYU | 11 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.1 (122K)
|
Army | Rutgers | 12 PM | ESPNU | |
|
1.0**
|
Oregon St. | Stanford | 3 PM | FOX | |
|
WEEK TWELVE
|
|||||
| Wed., 11/14/12 |
0.4 (557K)
|
Toledo | No. Illinois | 9 PM | ESPN2 |
|
0.2 (281K)
|
Ohio | Ball State | 8 PM | ESPNU | |
| Thu., 11/15/12 |
0.9 (1.2M)
|
UNC | Virginia | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 11/16/12 |
0.5 (794K)
|
Hawaii | Air Force | 9:30 PM | ESPN2 |
|
0.1 (220K)
|
FIU | FAU | 8 PM | ESPNU | |
| Sat., 11/17/12 |
5.1 (8.3M)
|
Stanford | Oregon | 8 PM | ABC |
|
3.1 (4.9M)
|
Ohio State | Wisconsin | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| N.C. State | Clemson | ||||
|
2.1 (3.3M)
|
Kansas State | Baylor | 8 PM | ESPN | |
|
2.1 (3.2M)
|
Oklahoma | West Virginia | 7 PM | FOX | |
|
1.8 (2.6M)
|
Iowa | Michigan | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
0.9 (1.3M)
|
Northwestern | Michigan St. | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.7 (1.1M)
|
Tennessee | Vanderbilt | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.6 (845K)
|
Reverse mirror of ABC window | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | ||
|
0.4 (581K)
|
FSU | Maryland | 12 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.3 (455K)
|
BYU | San Jose St. | 10:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.3 (448K)
|
Syracuse | Missouri | 7 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.2 (363K)
|
Arizona | Utah | 10:30 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.1 (192K)
|
Duke | Ga. Tech | 3:30 PM | ESPNU | |
|
2.7**
|
USC | UCLA | 3 PM | FOX | |
|
2.4**
|
Mississippi | LSU | 3:30 PM | CBS | |
|
1.7**
|
Wake Forest | Notre Dame | 3:30 PM | NBC | |
|
WEEK THIRTEEN
|
|||||
| Tue., 11/20/12 |
0.4 (542K)
|
Akron | Toledo | 7 PM | ESPN2 |
| Thu., 11/22/12 |
1.1 (1.9M)
|
TCU | Texas | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 11/23/12 |
2.8 (4.2M)
|
LSU | Arkansas | 2:30 PM | CBS |
|
2.8 (4.1M)
|
Nebraska | Iowa | 12 PM | ABC | |
|
1.9 (2.8M)
|
West Virginia | Iowa State | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
|
1.3 (1.9M)
|
Arizona St. | Arizona | 10:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (2.0M)
|
Washington | Washington St. | 3:30 PM | FOX | |
|
1.0 (1.6M)
|
USF | Cincinnati | 7 PM | ESPN | |
|
0.4 (536K)
|
Syracuse | Temple | 11 AM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.1 (153K)
|
Ohio | Kent State | 11 AM | ESPNU | |
| Sat., 11/24/12 |
9.4 (16.1M)
|
Notre Dame | USC | 8 PM | ABC |
|
5.8 (9.5M)
|
Michigan | Ohio State | 12 PM | ABC | |
|
5.1 (8.5M)
|
Florida | Florida State | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
|
2.4 (3.9M)
|
Auburn | Alabama | 3:30 PM | CBS | |
|
1.7 (3.1M)
|
South Carolina | Clemson | 7:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.5 (2.5M)
|
Stanford | UCLA | 6:30 PM | FOX | |
|
1.5 (2.3M)
|
Oklahoma St. | Oklahoma | 3:30 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.4 (2.3M)
|
Georgia Tech | Georgia | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (2.0M)
|
Wisconsin | Penn State | 3:30 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
1.0 (1.6M)
|
Baylor | Texas Tech | 2:30 PM | FOX | |
|
0.7 (1.1M)
|
Missouri | Texas A&M | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.7 (983K)
|
Grambling | Southern | 2:30 PM | NBC | |
|
0.4 (614K)
|
Rutgers | Pittsburgh | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.3 (502K)
|
Mississippi St. | Mississippi | 7 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.3 (401K)
|
Louisiana Tech | San Jose St. | 11 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.3 (415K)
|
Virginia | Virginia Tech | 12 PM | ESPNU | |
|
0.1 (99K)
|
Vanderbilt | Wake Forest | 3:30 PM | ESPNU | |
|
WEEK FOURTEEN
|
|||||
| Thu., 11/29/12 |
1.2 (1.7M)
|
Louisville | Rutgers | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Fri., 11/30/12 |
3.0 (4.9M)
|
Stanford | UCLA | 8 PM | FOX |
|
0.9 (1.3M)
|
No. Illinois | Kent State | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
| Sat., 12/1/12 |
9.8 (16.2M)
|
Alabama | Georgia | 4 PM | CBS |
|
3.3 (5.2M)
|
Texas | Kansas State | 8 PM | ABC | |
|
2.9 (5.1M)
|
Wisconsin | Nebraska | 8 PM | FOX | |
|
2.3 (3.3M)
|
Oklahoma | TCU | 12 PM | ESPN | |
|
1.2 (2.0M)
|
FSU | Ga. Tech | 8 PM | ESPN | |
|
0.4 (590K)
|
Tulsa | UCF | 12 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
0.2 (349K)
|
Pittsburgh | USF | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |
|
1.0**
|
Cincinnati | Connecticut | 3:30 PM | ABC | |
| Boise State | Nevada | ||||
|
WEEK FIFTEEN
|
|||||
| Sat., 12/8/12 |
3.8
|
Army | Navy | 3 PM | CBS |
(Data from various sources, including ESPN, Sports Business Daily, Son of the Bronx, and TV By the Numbers)
