Though on the lower end of recent LSU/Alabama meetings, Saturday’s game between the rivals delivered strong numbers for CBS.
The LSU/Alabama college football game drew a 6.3 overnight rating on CBS Saturday night, up 19% from the teams’ meeting last year (5.3) but down 9% from their 2013 matchup (6.9), both of which took place on week later in the season. Compared to CBS’ primetime game in week ten last year, Notre Dame/Navy, overnights increased 163% from a 2.4.
Alabama’s easy win ranks as the season’s second-highest rated college football game in the metered markets, trailing only Ohio State/Virginia Tech on ESPN Labor Day (6.6). It goes without saying that it was the top college football telecast of the week, finishing ahead of another strong performer — Florida State/Clemson on ABC, which ranks third for the season with a 5.5 overnight. This is only the third time in ten weeks this season that the SEC on CBS has been the top draw.
Though undoubtedly a strong number, the 6.3 is also the second-lowest for the LSU/Alabama rivalry in the past five years — ahead of only last year and behind 2013, 2012 (7.0) and 2011 (11.9).
Earlier in the day, Arkansas/Mississippi had a 1.7 overnight — down 58% from last year (4.0) and down 50% from 2013 (3.4), both of which pitted Florida against Georgia. Compared to week eleven of last season, when CBS aired its annual day-night SEC doubleheader, overnights declined an even steeper 62% from Texas A&M/Auburn (4.5).
(Sat. numbers via twitter.com/cbssportsgang, Sports Business Daily)
