While the SEC dominated the ratings last year, other conferences have been taking center stage this season.
The Oklahoma/Baylor college football game drew a 4.2 overnight rating on ABC Saturday night, even with Ohio State/Michigan State last year, up 121% from Notre Dame/Pittsburgh in 2013 (1.9), and the top college football telecast of the week in the metered markets.
The Sooners’ win marked the eighth time in 11 weeks this season that ESPN or ABC has aired the top game. It also marked the seventh time this season that the week’s top game did not involve an SEC team, compared to only four such occurrences in 15 weeks last year.
Earlier in the day, regional action featuring Michigan/Indiana drew a 3.4 overnight — down a tick from Notre Dame/Arizona State last year (3.5) but up 13% from Nebraska/Michigan in 2013 (3.0). The Wolverines’ double-overtime win nearly matched competing coverage of Alabama/Mississippi State on CBS (3.5).
Ohio State/Illinois started the tripleheader with a 2.8 overnight, up 56% from regional action in 2013 (1.8). There was no comparable telecast last year.
(Sat. numbers from ESPN, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily)
