Ratings predictions: Ravens-Pats, UGA-UF & more

In all their years of contention, the Ravens have never had the kind of star quarterback that moves the needle. Viewers were not tuning in for Joe Flacco, and they certainly were not doing so for Trent Dilfer. That looks to have changed with the rise of Lamar Jackson. The second-year star figures to make the Ravens a more attractive TV draw, though the sample size has thus far been small.

Sunday’s matchup with unbeaten New England should be a strong draw, though not as strong last year’s Week 9 Sunday nighter: New England against Green Bay (13.7). Prediction: 12.6.

The danger with basing the new season’s schedule on last season’s results is that you end up with a middling 3-5 Chargers team in the NFL’s highest rated TV window. L.A. had a good year in 2018 and there is still time for them to turn around their 3-5 record. For the time being, however, they are a nothingburger — both on the field and in the stands of their temporary stadium.

This week will mark the third-straight CBS national window to pit one of the NFL’s highest-profile teams against a sub-.500 opponent. The first two earned ratings of 12.2 (Cowboys-Jets) and 12.0 (Browns-Patriots). Sunday’s game should place lower. Prediction: 11.5.

Four of the nation’s top five teams have the weekend off, but CBS still has a top-ten rivalry game on Saturday. Last season, Georgia-Florida averaged its highest rating since 2012 (3.9). With the Bulldogs favored by just a touchdown and little competition in the midday timeslot, an even higher rating seems plausible. Prediction: 4.1.

With few marquee games on the schedule, ESPN is going all-in on SMU-Memphis Saturday — complete with a visit from College Gameday. Even so, it is hard to imagine that a matchup of mid-majors outside of the top ten will do particularly well. Last year’s Cincinnati-UCF game is a useful guide; the matchup of the nation’s #24 and #11 teams had a mere 1.9 rating in ABC’s Saturday night window. Prediction: 1.8.

With FOX putting most of its energy into the Noon ET window this season, its primetime games have taken a backseat. Saturday will mark just the fourth primetime game on FOX in the season’s first ten weeks, and the first of those to be assigned the network’s lead team of Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt.

Oregon-USC should fare better than the previous primetime games on FOX, each of which declined from last year. Expect light competition from ABC to help ratings vault over last year’s low bar of a 1.2 for UCLA-Oregon. Prediction: 2.0.

Formula 1 viewership is on the rise this season, with 15 of 18 races up from last year. Can the positive trend continue at the circuit’s annual U.S. stop? Last year’s USGP averaged a 0.5. Prediction: 0.6.

NASCAR ratings have increased in back-to-back weeks (and 14 weeks total) entering Sunday’s cable finale at Texas. A third straight increase would tie the longest streak since 2013. Prediction: 1.4.