First, the results of last week’s predictions:
- NFL on CBS, Patriots/Colts. Prediction: 17.6. Final rating: 20.1. The 20.1 final for Patriots/Colts is the highest rating for an NFL regular season game in eleven years. So far this season, CBS has aired the two highest rated NFL regular season telecasts this decade.
- Sunday Night Football on NBC, Cowboys/Eagles. Prediction: 10.2. Final rating: 10.2. Patriots/Colts trounced Cowboys/Eagles, both this year and last. The 10.2 rating for Sunday Night Football marks a 27% decline from the Patriots/Colts game that aired in the same timeslot last year.
- SEC on CBS, LSU/Alabama. Prediction: 4.8. Final rating: 4.0. Another increase for SEC football on CBS, though a slight one; the 4.0 for LSU/Alabama is up 3% over the 3.9 rating the comparable LSU/Tennessee game drew in ’06.
- College football on ESPN, Arizona St./Oregon. Prediction: 3.4. Final rating: 1.5. The Sun Devils and Ducks were not much of a draw for ESPN; the 1.5 rating for the battle between the #4 and #5 ranked teams in the country marked a 6% decline from the comparable Arkansas/South Carolina game last year.
- College football on ABC, regional. Prediction: 2.7. Final rating: 3.7. College football draws a decent rating in the 3:30 PM window; the 3.7 is a 164% increase over ABC’s coverage of The Tour Championship in the same timeslot last year.
- Saturday Night Football on ABC, regional. Prediction: 3.3. Final rating: 4.1. ABC’s version of SNF drew an 8% increase when compared to last year. ABC’s Saturday average of 3.9 is an 11% increase over the 3.5 average for two games in ’06.
- Notre Dame football on NBC, Navy/Notre Dame. Prediction: 1.6. Final rating: 2.3. A decent audience tuned into another Notre Dame humiliation. Still, the 2.3 rating for Navy’s upset win over the Fighting Irish is an 8% decline from the 2.5 rating North Carolina/Notre Dame drew a year ago.
- NASCAR on ABC, Dickies 500. Prediction: 4.1. Final rating: 3.7. NASCAR on ABC is averaging a 3.8 final rating through nine races, 90% higher than the 2.0 regular season average for the NBA on ABC, and 65% higher than the 2.3 average for MLB on FOX.
This week’s predictions:
- College football on ABC, regional, 3:30 PM Saturday — The #1 team in the nation, Ohio State, may not be enough of a draw for ABC to garner huge numbers Saturday afternoon. Prediction: 3.3.
- Saturday Night Football on ABC, Kansas/Oklahoma St., 8 PM Saturday — The Jayhawks may be #4 in the nation, but they are not quite ready for primetime, at least when it comes to television ratings. Prediction: 3.5.
- SEC on CBS, Auburn/Georgia, 3:30 PM Saturday — This rivalry may not quite have the juice nationally for the numbers to surpass the 3.9 for South Carolina/Florida last year. Prediction: 3.6.
- NASCAR on ABC, Checker Auto Parts 500, 3:30 PM Sunday — NASCAR ratings may be falling overall, but the sport is still holding its own versus the competition. Still, expect ratings for Sunday’s race to fall well below the 4.7 for the same race in ’06. Prediction: 3.8.
- NFL on FOX, Cowboys/Giants, 4:15 PM Sunday — The last time they met on FOX, the Cowboys and Giants drew a 17.8 rating. Coming off of a week where Patriots/Colts drew a 20.1, could a repeat performance be in store? Not likely. Still, look for a strong number. Prediction: 14.1.
- Sunday Night Football on NBC, Colts/Chargers, 8:15 PM Sunday — This match-up is not quite the heavyweight tilt NFL schedule makers were no doubt anticipating. With the Colts coming off of a loss and the Chargers middling at .500, look for a mediocre rating for this game. Prediction: 9.7.
