A thriller between Notre Dame and Virginia did well last weekend, but could not quite match last year.
Last Saturday’s Notre Dame/Virginia college football game drew a 3.7 final rating and 5.7 million viewers on ABC, down 10% in ratings and 12% in viewership from USC/Stanford last year (4.1, 6.5M) but up 37% and 38%, respectively, from regional coverage in 2013 (2.7, 4.2M).
Though down from last year, Notre Dame’s comeback win ranked second for the weekend among college football games — trailing only Oregon/Michigan State later in the night. As previously reported, that game had a 4.8 and 7.9 million.
Head-to-head, Notre Dame/Virginia more-than-doubled both Georgia/Vanderbilt on CBS (1.7, 2.6M) and Iowa/Iowa State on FOX (1.1, 1.8M).
Earlier in the afternoon, Oregon State/Michigan drew 4.5 million viewers — up 41% from regional action last year (3.2M). The rating was not immediately available. The Wolverines’ blowout win ranked third for the weekend.
(Wknd. numbers from ESPN, Sports Business Daily)
