CBS bet big on the state of Mississippi and lost.
The Mississippi State/Mississippi Egg Bowl drew a 3.3 overnight rating on CBS Saturday afternoon, down 62% from last year’s Alabama/Auburn Iron Bowl (8.6), but up 50% from the 2012 Iron Bowl (2.2). The Egg Bowl drew less than half the overnight of this year’s Iron Bowl, which aired on ESPN (7.2).
CBS elected to air the Egg Bowl this year after Mississippi and Mississippi State both got off to a strong start. At one point this season, the teams were tied for third in the AP poll, and Mississippi State spent much of the season ranked #1 in the country in the new college football playoff rankings.
By the time the Egg Bowl took place, however, the match-up had lost much of its potential luster. Mississippi was already out of contention for the playoff, and Mississippi State clung to fourth-place after a loss to Alabama the previous week.
After topping the charts in eight of its first ten weeks on the air this season, CBS failed to even win its timeslot for the second straight week. Florida/Florida State on ESPN drew a 4.1 overnight.
On Friday, Arkansas/Missouri drew a 2.6 overnight — down 7% from Arkansas/LSU last year (2.8) and down 13% from LSU/Arkansas on Black Friday in 2011 (3.0).
(Wknd. overnights from Sports Business Daily)
