Ratings for the SEC and Big 12 championship games since 1997, and the ACC title game since 2005.
Last year, the SEC Championship Game (Florida/Alabama) drew a 9.3 rating, the Big 12 Championship Game (Oklahoma/Missouri) drew a 5.5, and the ACC Championship Game (Va. Tech/Boston College) brought up the rear with a 2.6.
Ratings for college football conference championship games since ’97
Big 12
| Year | Date | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sat., 12/6/08 | Oklahoma/Missouri | ABC |
5.5
|
| 2007 | Sat., 12/1/07 | Oklahoma/Missouri | ABC |
6.6
|
| 2006 | Sat., 12/2/06 | Oklahoma/Nebraska | ABC |
4.2
|
| 2005 | Sat., 12/3/05 | Texas/Colorado | ABC |
4.2
|
| 2004 | Sat., 12/4/04 | Oklahoma/Colorado | ABC |
3.1
|
| 2003 | Sat., 12/6/03 | Kansas St./Oklahoma | ABC |
6.6
|
| 2002 | Sat., 12/7/02 | Oklahoma/Colorado | ABC |
4.9
|
| 2001 | Sat., 12/1/01 | Colorado/Texas | ABC |
6.4
|
| 2000 | Sat., 12/2/00 | Oklahoma/Kansas St. | ABC |
8.2
|
| 1999 | Sat., 12/4/99 | Nebraska/Texas | ABC |
6.7
|
| 1998 | Sat., 12/5/98 | Texas A&M/Kansas St. | ABC |
7.4
|
| 1997 | Sat., 12/6/97 | Nebraska/Texas A&M | ABC |
6.1
|
The 5.5 rating for the 2008 Big 12 Championship Game was down 17% from a 6.6 the previous year, but was the second-highest rating for the game since ’03.
The highest rated Big 12 Championship Game since ’97 was the ’00 matchup between #8 Kansas St. and #1 Oklahoma, which drew an 8.2 rating. The numbers bottomed out in ’04, when #2 Oklahoma’s blowout win over unranked Colorado drew just a 3.1.
SEC
| Year | Date | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sat., 12/6/08 | Florida/Alabama | CBS |
9.3
|
| 2007 | Sat., 12/1/07 | LSU/Tennessee | CBS |
5.9
|
| 2006 | Sat., 12/2/06 | Florida/Arkansas | CBS |
4.5
|
| 2005 | Sat., 12/3/05 | Georgia/LSU | CBS |
4.0
|
| 2004 | Sat., 12/4/04 | Auburn/Tennessee | CBS |
4.4
|
| 2003 | Sat., 12/6/03 | LSU/Georgia | CBS |
4.1
|
| 2002 | Sat., 12/7/02 | Georgia/Arkansas | CBS |
3.2
|
| 2001 | Sat., 12/1/01 | LSU/Tennessee | CBS |
7.9
|
| 2000 | Sat., 12/2/00 | Florida/Auburn | ABC |
5.3
|
| 1999 | Sat., 12/4/99 | Alabama/Florida | ABC |
7.0
|
| 1998 | Sat., 12/5/98 | Tennessee/Miss. St. | ABC |
8.3
|
| 1997 | Sat., 12/6/97 | Tennessee/Auburn | ABC |
7.6
|
The 2008 SEC Championship Game between Alabama and Florida drew a 9.3 rating, the highest ever for the SEC Championship Game. Ratings for the SEC title game have increased every year since ’05, rising 133% over the past four years (4.0 to 9.3).
In addition to the record rating, last year’s game marked the third time in five years that the SEC Championship Game has been the highest rated of the college football conference championships.
ACC
| Year | Date | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Sat., 12/6/08 | Va. Tech/Boston College | ABC |
2.6
|
| 2007 | Sat., 12/1/07 | Va. Tech/Boston College | ABC |
4.1
|
| 2006 | Sat., 12/2/06 | Wake Forest/Ga. Tech | ABC |
3.6
|
| 2005 | Sat., 12/3/05 | Florida St./Va. Tech | ABC |
5.1
|
The 2008 ACC Championship Game was easily the lowest rated in the young history of the event. The 2.6 rating for Virginia Tech/Boston College was off 37% from the previous year’s matchup of the same two teams.
The inaugural ACC Championship Game — the 2005 meeting between Florida St. and Virginia Tech — remains the highest rated, with a 5.1. That was the only ACC Championship Game to air in primetime, prior to this year.
