College football ratings strong in week one

The college football season got off to a strong start over Labor Day weekend.

Five college football games averaged at least five million viewers during week one of the season, the most in the opening week since 2016 (also five). Georgia-Clemson led the way with a 4.6 and 8.86 million viewers on ABC, up 16% in ratings and 29% in viewership from the comparable 2019 window (Oregon-Auburn: 4.0, 6.88M). ABC had previously reported an audience of just under eight million, but that was a fast-national figure that did not include Nielsen’s out-of-home viewing. The jump from fast to final nationals indicates an out-of-home lift of 11%.

Georgia’s win, which peaked with 9.7 million viewers, ranks as the second-most watched game on the opening Saturday of the season in the past 20 years. Florida State-Alabama had 12.34 million in 2017.

Ranking second for the weekend, Notre Dame-Florida State averaged a 4.15 and 7.75 million on ABC Sunday night — up 38% in ratings and 42% in viewership from 2019 (Houston-Oklahoma: 3.0, 5.44M). ABC had previously reported an audience of 7.1 million, which again did not include out-of-home. The jump from fast to final nationals indicates an out-of-home lift of 9%.

Notre Dame’s win, which peaked with 9.5 million, trails only Notre Dame-Texas in 2016 (10.95M) as the most-watched game on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend — with the caveat that there have not been very many.

Last Thursday’s Ohio State-Minnesota game ranked third at a 3.5 and a previously-reported 6.30 million.

In fourth place, Alabama-Miami drew a 3.0 and 5.67 million on ABC Saturday afternoon, peaking at 6.8 million — up 8% and 22% respectively from Duke-Alabama in ’19 (2.8, 4.64M). ABC had initially reported an audience of 5.03 million, indicating an out-of-home lift of 13%.

Rounding out the top five, FOX drew a 3.0 and 5.41 million for Penn State-Wisconsin in its “Big Noon Saturday” window — up 88% and 106% respectively from Florida Atlantic-Ohio State in ’19 (1.6, 2.62M). The “Big Noon” game comfortably topped ABC’s competing Oklahoma-Tulane window, which at a 1.4 and 2.53 million still jumped double-digits from 2019 (Mississippi-Memphis: 1.2, 1.88M).

FOX also drew a 1.8 and 3.22 million for UCLA’s primetime upset of LSU and a 1.6 (+19%) and 2.88 million (+43%) for Louisiana-Texas.

The top cable game of week one was North Carolina-Virginia Tech on ESPN Friday night, which had a 1.6 and 2.58 million — up 48% and 43% respectively from 2019 (Wisconsin-USF: 1.1, 1.80M). The Michigan State-Northwestern nightcap drew a 1.2 (+57%) and 2.10 million (+64%).

All four of ESPN’s Saturday games declined from 2019. Western Michigan-Michigan had a 0.9 (-8%) and 1.62 million (-9%), West Virginia-Maryland a 0.7 (-31%) and 1.35 million (-24%), Texas Tech-Houston a 0.43 (-57%) and 831,000 (-54%) and BYU-Arizona a 0.51 (-49%) and 933,000 (-43%). Texas Tech-Houston even declined from the comparable game on last year’s barren opening weekend, Arkansas State-Memphis (0.6, 1.03M).

FS1 topped out at a mere 0.22 (-35%) and 439,000 (-38%) for Oregon State-Purdue Saturday night, followed by a 0.19 (-39%) and 312,000 (-37%) for Stanford-Kansas State.

Rounding out the Labor Day weekend slate, Louisville-Mississippi averaged 3.08 million viewers on ESPN Monday night — up 169% from BYU 55, Navy 3 last year (1.15M) but down 46% from Notre Dame-Louisville in ’19 (5.68M). Outside of last year, it was the least-watched Labor Day night game since at least 2003.

As for the pregame shows, ESPN’s College Gameday comfortably won the head-to-head over FOX Big Noon Kickoff. Gameday averaged 1.84 million viewers, including 2.28 million for the final hour, compared to 1.07 million for Big Noon.