A tripleheader of college football action drew strong numbers on ESPN the day after Christmas.
USC’s win over Boston College in the Emerald Bowl drew a 4.6 U.S. rating and 7.6 million viewers on ESPN December 26, up 15% in ratings and 16% in viewership from a 4.0 and 6.5 million for last year’s game between Miami and Cal.
The game was also up 63% in viewership from the 2008 Emerald Bowl between Oregon St. and Maryland (4.6 mil).
Earlier in the day, the Pittsburgh/North Carolina Meineke Car Care Bowl drew a 3.9 U.S. rating and 6.1 million viewers, flat in ratings but up 4% in viewership from last year’s matchup between West Virginia and North Carolina (3.9, 5.9 mil).
Compared to the 2008 game between Wake Forest and Connecticut (4.7 mil), the game was up 31% in viewership.
Finally, the Little Caesars Bowl between Marshall and Ohio drew a 2.6 U.S. rating and 3.8 million viewers on ESPN, up 11% in viewership from last year’s FAU/Central Michigan tilt (3.4 mil). Ratings for last year’s game were unavailable.
The game was also up 12% in viewership from the 2008 tilt between Purdue and Central Michigan.
(Nielsen)
