Strong ratings for college football.

While the highest profile game of the day may have been #1 Alabama’s clash with #16 LSU, ABC drew the highest rating. Saturday Night Football, featuring Oklahoma State/Texas Tech or Cal/USC, drew a solid 5.9 overnight rating on ABC, up 34% from a 4.4 for comparable regional action in ’07.

The 5.9 is the fifth best overnight for a college football game this year.

So far this season, Saturday Night Football is averaging a 5.4 overnight rating on ABC, up 32% from a 4.1 through the comparable date last year.

CBS drew its best college football ratings of the year on the strength of the much hyped return of Nick Saban to Baton Rouge. #1 Alabama’s overtime victory over LSU drew a 5.5/12 overnight on CBS Saturday afternoon, up 120% from a 2.5 for the Auburn/Georgia game on the comparable week last year.

To put the 5.5 in perspective, the highest overnight for a college football game on CBS last year was a 5.7 for a primetime LSU/Florida matchup.

Returning to ABC, the first game of the network’s college football doubleheader drew strong ratings opposite LSU/Alabama. Regional action featuring Penn State/Iowa drew a 4.2 overnight rating Saturday afternoon, down 21% from a 5.3 for coverage in the comparable timeslot last year, but a solid rating for an afternoon college football game.