Though the SEC on CBS took the ratings crown, ABC had a strong Saturday of college football last week.
Last Saturday’s Florida State/Miami game drew a 5.3 final rating and 8.7 million viewers on ABC, up 66% in ratings and 75% in viewership from Stanford/USC last year (3.2, 5.0M) and up 4% and 5%, respectively, from Stanford/Oregon in 2012 (5.1, 8.3M).
FSU’s comeback win earned the second-highest rating and viewership on ABC this season, trailing only Notre Dame/FSU in October (7.9, 13.3M). Overall, the game tied the third-highest rating of the season on any network, and ranks as the fourth-most watched.
While the SEC has been far and away the top television draw this season, FSU has played in three of the top six games — the same number as Alabama. No other teams have more than one appearance in the top six.
Earlier in the day, the Noon ET Ohio State/Minnesota game drew a 3.7 and 5.7 million — the highest rated and most-watched game in that window this season. There was no comparable telecast last year or in 2012. The previous highs for a Noon game this season were a 3.1 and 4.7 million for Tennessee/Georgia on ESPN in September.
The weak link in ABC’s tripleheader was Nebraska/Wisconsin, which had to go head-to-head with Mississippi State/Alabama on CBS. The Badgers’ win, which featured a record day by RB Melvin Gordon, drew a 2.4 and 4.0 million — down 14% in ratings and 9% in viewership from regional action last year (2.8, 4.4M), and down 23% and 17%, respectively, from regional action in 2012 (3.1, 4.9M).
(Sat. numbers from Sports Business Daily)
