CBS and FOX finished one-two for the college football season.
CBS was the highest rated and most-watched college football broadcaster during the 2023 season, averaging a 2.7 and 5.07 million viewers for a 26-game slate consisting of the SEC, Big Ten and Mountain West. In its final season, the “SEC on CBS” averaged a 3.5 and 6.73 million, second only to FOX “Big Noon Saturday” as the most-watched window of the season. While the network’s overall viewership declined 4% from last year (5.30M), its SEC slate increased 2% (from 6.60M).
The aforementioned “Big Noon Saturday” averaged a 3.6 and 6.74 million on FOX, the highest average yet for the series. Viewership increased 8% over last season (6.23M). FOX averaged a 2.1 and 4.03 million for its full, 44-game slate of Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and Mountain West games, ranking second to CBS.
College football viewership by network, 2023 season
ABC placed third with a 2.2 and 3.95 million, marking its second-most watched season in the past six years. The network’s “Saturday Night Football” slate averaged a 2.2 and 4.11 million, a 5% decline in viewership from last year (4.34M). Keep in mind this season was a gap year of sorts for ESPN/ABC between the end of its Big Ten rights deal and the start of its exclusive SEC contract.
NBC took fourth place with a 1.5 and 2.80 million, including a 2.3 and 4.27 million for six Notre Dame games and a 1.3 and 2.40 million for its new Big Ten package. (Those figures are Nielsen-only. NBC streaming viewership is measured by a separate company, Adobe Analytics.)
In the first year of the new Big Ten rights deal, NBC trailed the conference’s two other over-the-air partners. CBS averaged a 1.9 and 3.55 million for its seven Big Ten games and FOX — buoyed by Ohio State-Michigan — averaged a 3.2 and 6.22 million for its 13.
Viewership for select college football packages
Rounding out the broadcast network slate, newcomer The CW averaged a 0.28 and 492,000 for 13 Raycom-produced ACC games.
ESPN was the top cable draw with a 1.1 and 1.96 million, down from 2.2 million last year, but still its second-most watched season in the past six years. Big Ten Network ranked second among cable outlets with a 0.31 and 605,000, topping Fox Sports 1 (0.30, 587K) and ESPN2 (0.23, 411K). Bringing up the rear, NFL Network averaged a 0.04 and 88,000 and ESPNU a 0.04 and 65,000.
Overall, the more than 450 college football games on Nielsen-rated television this season averaged a 0.9 rating and 1.75 million viewers, ranging from an 8.9 and 19.07 million for Ohio State-Michigan on FOX November 25 to a 0.01 and 16,000 for Toledo-UMass on ESPNU on October 7. (There is one more game left in the regular season, Army-Navy on CBS Saturday.)
For the full list of college football ratings during the 2023 season, see the linked page.
