First, the results of last week’s predictions.
- SEC on CBS, Alabama/Florida. Prediction: 6.4. Final rating: 9.3. The SEC Championship game drew its highest rating in at least eleven years. The 9.3 final rating for Florida’s win over Alabama marks a 58% increase from a 5.9 last year, and is the highest rating of the season for a college football game.
- College football on ABC, Boston College/Virginia Tech. Prediction: 3.8. Final rating: 2.6. The 2.6 final rating for Virginia Tech’s win in the ACC Championship Game marks a 37% decline from a 4.1 for the same matchup last year.
- College football on ABC, USC/UCLA. Prediction: 4.1. Final rating: 2.5. USC’s Rose Bowl-clinching win over UCLA drew a 2.5 final rating, down 22% from the same matchup in ’07.
- Saturday Night Football on ABC, Missouri/Oklahoma. Prediction: 6.3. Final rating: 5.5. The 5.5 for Oklahoma’s blowout win over Missouri was down 17% from a 6.6 last year.
- BCS on FOX, BCS Selection Show. Prediction: 7.2. Final rating: 6.3. The 6.3 rating for the BCS Selection Show on FOX was off 11% from a 7.1 last year, and is the lowest rating for the Selection Show since it moved to FOX in ’06.
- NFL on FOX, Cowboys/Steelers. Prediction: 16.3. Final rating: 15.6. While the 15.6 final rating for the Steelers’ come from behind victory over the Cowboys was down 15% from an 18.4 for Patriots/Steelers in ’07, it still marked the highest rating of the season for an NFL telecast.
- Sunday Night Football on NBC, Washington/Ravens. Prediction: 9.9. Final rating: 8.1. NBC drew its fifth-lowest rating ever for a Sunday Night Football telecast; still, the 8.1 for Washington/Baltimore was flat from last year’s comparable Indianapolis/Baltimore game.
This week’s predictions:
- Sunday Night Football on NBC, Giants/Cowboys, 8:15 PM Sunday — Because Sunday night games typically draw lower ratings than the late afternoon windows on FOX and CBS, do not expect Giants/Cowboys to draw one of the five biggest ratings for an NFL game this season. Still, NBC should draw a season high (the current season high is a 13.3 for Cowboys/Packers). Prediction: 13.6.
- NFL on CBS, Steelers/Ravens, 4:15 PM Sunday — The Steelers’ past two games have each been the highest rated games of the season; do not expect the same results this Sunday, though this matchup at the top of the AFC North should still draw good numbers. Prediction: 13.0.
- College football on ESPN, Heisman Trophy Presentation, 8 PM Saturday — Tim Tebow‘s victory last year drew a 2.6 rating and was the most viewed Heisman presentation since ESPN began airing the event. With Tebow going for back-to-back victories against National Championship Game opponent Sam Bradford, look for an even higher number this year. Prediction: 2.7.
- College basketball on CBS, Memphis/Georgetown, 2 PM Saturday — College basketball makes its season debut on CBS Saturday, and Clark Kellogg makes his debut as the network’s new lead analyst. Last year’s comparable game, Michigan/Duke, drew a 1.3 rating. Prediction: 1.2.
- College basketball on CBS, Indiana/Kentucky, 4 PM Saturday — While this matchup features two recognizable college basketball programs, neither team is in the Top 25. Last year, this same matchup drew a 1.5 rating. Prediction: 1.3.
