ABC topped the college football ratings charts yet again in week seven.
Saturday’s Michigan-Indiana college football game scored a 2.9 overnight rating on ABC, down 12% from N.C. State-Clemson last year (3.3) but up 26% from regional action in 2015. Despite the dip, it was the weekend’s top college football game on any network.
ABC has now televised the weekend’s top game in six of seven weeks this season.
Later in the afternoon, Georgia Tech-Miami had a 2.5 (+4%) to place second for the weekend. Rounding out ABC’s tripleheader, Utah-USC scored a season-low 2.3 on Saturday Night Football — down 59% from Ohio State-Wisconsin last year (5.6) and down 34% from Penn State-Ohio State in 2015.
Ranking third for the weekend, the Oklahoma-Texas Red River Rivalry scored a 2.4 overnight on ESPN (+243%). Compared to the rivals’ previous meetings, overnights increased 20% from last year on FS1 (2.0) but declined 37% from 2015 on ABC (3.8).
In other action on the ESPN family of networks, Arkansas-Alabama had a 2.1 overnight (+50%) and Washington-Arizona State a 1.5 (+67%) on ESPN and Texas A&M-Florida a 1.3 on ESPN2 (+225%) Saturday night. ESPN’s Friday night doubleheader of Clemson-Syracuse (1.8, +29%) and Washington State-Cal (1.5, +36%) also increased.
Rounding out the notable weekend numbers, Auburn-LSU drew a 2.2 on the SEC on CBS — down 46% from Alabama-Tennessee last year (4.1) and down 39% from Alabama-Texas A&M in 2015 (3.6). FS1 had a 1.3 for Ohio State-Nebraska Saturday night; there was no comparable window last year due to baseball.
[Wknd. numbers from ESPN, Sports Business Daily 10.16]
