A lopsided battle of top ten teams still turned in a solid performance for ABC Saturday night.
The season’s first edition of “Saturday Night Football,” pitting #8 Michigan against #2 Alabama, earned a 4.7 overnight rating on ABC — even with Oregon/LSU last year (4.7), and up 68% from LSU/UNC in 2010 (2.8).
The 4.7 is tied with last year as the highest overnight for the “Saturday Night Football” season opener since the inaugural telecast in 2006, when Notre Dame/Georgia Tech earned a 5.8.
Saturday’s game, won by Alabama in a blowout, easily outdrew both Clemson/Auburn on ESPN (2.2) and Hawaii/USC on FOX (1.4).
(Saturday’s numbers from Sports Business Daily)
