Though two of the three games declined from last year, ESPN earned solid numbers for its first Saturday of college football coverage.
Saturday’s Wisconsin/LSU college football game drew a 2.5 overnight rating on ESPN, up 32% from LSU/TCU last year (1.9), up 14% from Clemson/Auburn in 2012 (2.2), and the only game of the network’s season-opening tripleheader to have an increase. Wisconsin/LSU easily topped competing coverage of the Fresno State/USC game on FOX (0.9).
Earlier in the evening, Clemson/Georgia also generated a 2.5 overnight — down 19% from Alabama/Virginia Tech last year (3.1), but up 25% from Bowling Green/Florida in an earlier timeslot in 2012 (2.0).
UCLA/Virginia rounded out the day’s action with a 2.1 overnight, down 28% from Rice/Texas A&M last year (2.9) and down 16% from Ohio/Penn State in 2012 (2.5). Keep in mind the games both last year and in 2012 attracted extra attention due to off-the-field controversies.
(Sat. numbers from ShowBuzz Daily)
