Predicting college football conference championship and NFL Week 13 ratings. Also on tap, Tiger Woods at the World Challenge.
Last week’s results at the bottom of the page. All times Eastern.
SEC Championship: #2 Auburn-#6 Georgia (4 PM Sat CBS)
CBS would always prefer to have Alabama in the SEC Championship, but Auburn is no slouch. The last time the Tigers made it this far, their 2013 win over Missouri had an 8.6 rating — still the fourth-best for any conference championship game since at least 2000. Just like in 2013, Auburn enters this year’s game coming off of a highly rated upset of Alabama. Is a repeat in order? Even if not, ratings should cruise past year’s 6.6 for Alabama’s rout of Florida. Prediction: 7.3.
Big Ten Championship: #4 Wisconsin-#8 Ohio State (8 PM Sat FOX)
The last time these teams met in the Big Ten Championship, 2014, Ohio State’s 59-0 drubbing of the Badgers had a 3.5 rating. That was the second-lowest rating in the young history of the game. This year’s matchup figures to do better both on the field and in the ratings. With Ohio State still in playoff contention and Wisconsin undefeated, it should challenge the second-best rating in the game’s history — a spot currently held by Michigan State-Iowa in 2015 (5.7). The all-time record, a 7.9 for Ohio State-Michigan State in 2013, is probably out of reach given the competition. Prediction: 5.6.
ACC Championship: #1 Clemson-#7 Miami (8 PM Sat ABC)
Miami’s return to prominence has not yet translated into big ratings, and their upset loss to Pittsburgh last week will probably not help. Even so, with this week’s ACC Championship serving as a de-facto playoff quarterfinal, ratings should surge ahead of last year’s 3.3 for Clemson-Virginia Tech. Prediction: 4.8.
Big 12 Championship: #3 Oklahoma-#11 TCU (12:30 PM Sat FOX)
No Big 12 conference game all season has exceeded a 2.5 rating, and while that will change on Saturday, it is a reminder to temper expectations for the first Big 12 Championship since 2010. Oklahoma has been a middling draw this season despite featuring the controversial Heisman candidate Baker Mayfield. TCU has little to no national profile. Given the lack of competition in the pre-SEC timeslot Saturday, ratings should still be relatively strong — but expect it to be the lowest rated Power 5 title game of the day. Prediction: 3.8.
NFL: Eagles-Seahawks (8:30 PM Sun NBC)
NBC has a rare marquee matchup on Sunday Night Football this week as the 10-1 Eagles face the 7-4 Seahawks. The Sunday night game has increased in back-to-back weeks and a threepeat seems likely. Last year’s comparable Panthers-Seahawks game set the bar low with a 10.2 rating. Prediction: 11.2.
NFL: Mostly Panthers-Saints (4:25 PM Sun FOX)
The NFL national window has not cracked a 13.0 rating since Week 5, an unusually long streak for a window that just two years ago scored 15s and 16s with regularity. This week, most of the country gets Panthers-Saints in a matchup of 8-3 teams. Just two years ago, the same matchup in the same window had a 16.3 rating. This year, it will be hard pressed to get a 12. Prediction: 12.2.
Golf: World Challenge (2:30 PM Sat & 1 PM Sun, NBC)
Years of scandals and mediocrity have not yet dulled the Tiger effect, which is good news for NBC this weekend. Woods is near the top of the leaderboard through 36 holes, tied for fifth in a top ten that includes Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler. Last year, he entered the weekend in 10th and finished 15th in a field of 19. Ratings should improve upon last year’s numbers, a 1.4 on Saturday and a 1.0 on Sunday. Prediction: 1.8 and 1.6.
Last week’s results
— CFB: Alabama-Auburn. Prediction: 7.6; result: 7.6
— CFB: Ohio State-Michigan. Prediction: 6.0; result: 6.1
— CFB: Notre Dame-Stanford. Prediction: 3.7; result: 3.0
— CFB: Miami-Pittsburgh. Prediction: 2.9; result: 2.8
— NFL: Vikings-Lions. Prediction: 10.2; result: 11.4
— NFL: Chargers-Cowboys. Prediction: 12.3; result: 11.1
— NFL: Giants-Washington. Prediction: 8.7; result: 8.2
— NFL: Mostly Saints-Rams. Prediction: 11.2; result: 11.6
— NHL: Penguins-Bruins. Prediction: 1.1; result: n.a.
