The largest college football audience of the season tuned into Auburn’s comeback win over Alabama on Black Friday.
CBS drew a 7.3 final rating and 12.520 million viewers for Auburn/Alabama on the day after Thanksgiving, up 49% in ratings and 54% in viewership from last year (ALA/AUB: 4.9, 8.154 mil).
Auburn’s win ranks as the highest rated, most-viewed college football telecast of 2010. The previous high was a 6.3 and 9.888 million for Boise State/Virginia Tech on ESPN Labor Day night.
Excluding the SEC Championship Game, this marks the highest rated, most-viewed college football game on CBS of at least the past two seasons.
Meanwhile, last Saturday’s LSU/Arkansas game drew a 4.3 final rating and 7.303 million viewers on CBS, down 9% and 3%, respectively, from last year (FSU/UF: 4.7, 7.491 mil).
Despite the decline, the game ranks as CBS’ eighth of the season to draw at least seven million viewers. For perspective, CBS topped that mark just four times all of last year, including the SEC title game.
Through last week, CBS is averaging a 4.1 rating for SEC coverage this season, up 8% from last year.
Ratings/Viewership For College Football on CBS Entering SEC Title Game
| Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating | vs. ’09 | Viewers (000) | vs. ’09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., 9/18/10 | 3:30 PM | #10 Florida 31 | CBS |
3.3
|
-23%
|
5,149
|
-22%
|
| Tennessee 17 | |||||||
| Sat., 9/25/10 | 3:30 PM | #1 Alabama 24 | CBS |
5.2
|
117%
|
8,148
|
123%
|
| #10 Arkansas 20 | |||||||
| Sat., 10/2/10 | 3:30 PM | Tennessee 14 | CBS |
2.6
|
-26%
|
4,089
|
-26%
|
| #12 LSU 16 | |||||||
| 8:00 PM* | #7 Florida 6 | CBS |
5.0
|
-18%
|
8,595
|
-18%
|
|
| #1 Alabama 31 | |||||||
| Sat., 10/9/10 | 3:30 PM | #1 Alabama 21 | CBS |
4.8
|
55%
|
7,662
|
56%
|
| #19 SC 35 | |||||||
| Sat., 10/16/10 | 3:30 PM | #12 Arkansas 43 | CBS |
2.9
|
-33%
|
4,516
|
-34%
|
| #7 Auburn 65 | |||||||
| Sat., 10/23/10 | 12 PM^ | Notre Dame 17 | CBS |
1.6
|
-16%
|
2,346
|
-12%
|
| Navy 35 | |||||||
| 3:30 PM | #6 LSU 17 | CBS |
4.5
|
25%
|
7,340
|
29%
|
|
| #4 Auburn 24 | |||||||
| Sat., 10/30/10 | 3:30 PM | Georgia 31 | CBS |
3.3
|
-25%
|
5,477
|
-21%
|
| Florida 34 | |||||||
| Sat., 11/6/10 | 3:30 PM | #6 Alabama 21 | CBS |
4.4
|
3%
|
7,208
|
7%
|
| #10 LSU 24 | |||||||
| Sat., 11/13/10 | 12 PM | Mississippi 14 | CBS |
1.8
|
-18%
|
2,835
|
-8%
|
| Tennessee 52 | |||||||
| 3:30 PM | Georgia 31 | CBS |
5.0
|
25%
|
8,262
|
30%
|
|
| #2 Auburn 49 | |||||||
| Sat., 11/20/10 | 3:30 PM | Mississippi 36 | CBS |
3.2
|
10%
|
5,017
|
13%
|
| #5 LSU 43 | |||||||
| Fri., 11/26/10 | 2:30 PM | #2 Auburn 28 | CBS |
7.3
|
49%
|
12,520
|
54%
|
| #11 Alabama 27 | |||||||
| Sat., 11/27/10 | 3:30 PM | #5 LSU 23 | CBS |
4.3
|
-9%
|
7,303
|
-3%
|
| #12 Arkansas 31 |
(Ratings from Sports Business Daily)
