The Alabama/LSU rivalry delivered another big number for CBS, though not as big as in past years.
Alabama/LSU scored a 6.0 overnight rating on Saturday’s primetime edition of the SEC on CBS, down 5% from the same matchup last year (6.3), but up 13% from their 2014 meeting, which happened one week later in the season (5.3).
The Tide’s win, which peaked at a 7.5 from 10:30-11 PM ET, scored the highest college football overnight on CBS this season (12 telecasts), topping the previous mark of 5.4 for Alabama/Mississippi in week three and Texas A&M/Alabama in week eight. Regardless of network, it tied the second-highest overnight of the season — matching Louisville/Clemson in week five and behind only Notre Dame/Texas on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend (7.0).
As should go without saying, the 6.0 was the highest college football overnight of the weekend.
Despite the strong numbers, Saturday’s game was on the lower end of recent Alabama/LSU matchups. The 6.0 is the second-lowest for the annual rivalry game since CBS began airing it in primetime in 2011, ahead of only 2014.
In other action, Florida/Arkansas had a 2.7 overnight in the traditional mid-afternoon SEC on CBS window, up 58% from Arkansas/Mississippi last year (1.7) but down a third from Florida/Georgia in 2014 (4.0). Notre Dame/Navy started the day off with a 1.8; the teams’ last meeting on CBS aired in primetime and had a 2.4.
UPDATED 11/7: Afternoon overnights added to post.
(Sat. numbers from CBS Sports)
