Though both windows trailed the SEC on CBS head-to-head, ABC earned strong numbers for its college football doubleheader last week.
Last Saturday’s Ohio State/Michigan State game drew a 3.9 final rating and 6.8 million viewers on ABC, up 95% in ratings and 125% in viewership from Notre Dame/Pittsburgh last year (2.0, 3.0M), up 8% and 19%, respectively, from Notre Dame/Boston College in 2012 (3.6, 5.8M), and the season’s third-most watched game on ABC.
Only Notre Dame/FSU in October (7.9, 13.3M) and Clemson/FSU in September (4.5, 7.3M) drew a larger audience, and neither of those games had notable competition. Saturday’s game ranked fourth in viewership, behind those two games, USC/Stanford in week two (4.1) and regional action in week one (4.0).
The strong numbers came despite competition from Alabama/LSU on CBS, which drew a 5.3 and 9.1 million.
Earlier in the day, Notre Dame/Arizona State drew a 3.0 and 4.7 million — down a tick in ratings and 2% in viewership from Nebraska/Michigan last year (3.1, 4.8M) but up 36% and 34%, respectively, from regional action in 2012 (2.2, 3.5M). That game also faced competition from the SEC on CBS, trailing Texas A&M/Auburn (4.4, 7.2M).
(Sat. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
