The move to New Year’s Eve, combined with a pair of lopsided games, resulted in steep declines for the College Football Playoff semifinals.
The Alabama/Michigan State Cotton Bowl, part of the College Football Playoff, earned a 9.9 overnight rating on ESPN Thursday night — down 35% from last year’s comparable Ohio State/Alabama Sugar Bowl (15.3). The 9.9 is up 87% from last year’s Michigan State/Baylor Cotton Bowl, which aired early on New Year’s Day and had no playoff implications, and ranks as the highest overnight for the game since at least 1996.
Keep in mind the Cotton Bowl is in only its second year as part of the New Year’s Six and was left out of the old Bowl Championship Series.
Earlier in the day, the Clemson/Oklahoma Orange Bowl posted a 9.7 overnight — down 37% from last year’s comparable Oregon/Florida State Rose Bowl (15.5). The 9.7 marks a 102% increase over last year’s Georgia Tech/Mississippi State Orange Bowl, and ranks as the highest overnight for the game since Penn State/Florida State on ABC in 2006 (12.5).
Several factors contributed to the sizable declines. Neither of Thursday’s games was competitive, as Clemson won by 20 and Alabama shut out Michigan State 38-0. The anticipation and novelty surrounding the playoff likely wore off to some extent. Perhaps the biggest factor of all was the shift from New Year’s Day to New Year’s Eve, a day that is less conducive to big ratings.
In other action Thursday, the Houston/FSU Peach Bowl drew a 4.0 overnight — up 21% from last year’s TCU/Mississippi matchup.
(Thu. numbers from ESPN)
