ESPN is on a college football losing streak.
ESPN scored a 2.0 rating and 3.76 million viewers for last Saturday’s Missouri-Alabama college football game, down 9% in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (Arkansas-Alabama: 2.2, 3.87M), but up 38% and 48% respectively from 2016 (Mississippi-Alabama: 1.5, 2.54M).
Despite the decline, Alabama’s win delivered the fourth-largest cable audience of the season.
Earlier in the day, Florida’s comeback win over Vanderbilt had a 1.5 and 2.50 million — down 12% in ratings and 1% in viewership from last year (South Carolina-Tennessee: 1.7, 2.53M) but up 25% and 41% respectively from 2016 (Kansas State-Oklahoma: 1.2, 1.78M).
Rounding out ESPN’s tripelheader, Baylor-Texas brought up the rear with a 1.0 (-52%) and 1.78 million (-51%). Last year’s comparable game was the Oklahoma-Texas Red River Rivalry (2.1, 3.62M).
Even College Gameday could not avoid declines, with viewership down 11% (from 1.88M to 1.67M).
Friday’s games were also down, with USF-Tulsa earning a 0.7 (-59%) and 1.17 million (-59%) and Arizona-Utah a 0.6 (-57%) and 1.01 million (-55%).
Overall, the past eight college football windows on the flagship ESPN network have declined.
Over on ESPN2, Miami-Virginia topped the week seven charts with a 0.50 (-58%) and 870,000 (-59%). The network’s Hawaii-BYU game managed an increase, with a 0.38 (+41%) and 646,000 (+53%).
ESPNU also posted an increase for Virginia Tech-UNC, with viewership up 125% from Cincinnati-USF last year (from 173K) to 389K).
The full list of week seven college football ratings is available here.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 10.16]
