A tripleheader of uncompetitive blowouts still drew strong ratings on ABC Saturday afternoon.
Ohio State’s 42-7 romp of Michigan drew a 5.1 overnight rating from 12-3:30 PM Saturday, down 20% from a 6.4 for the same matchup a week earlier in 2007. Excluding NFL telecasts, Michigan/Ohio State drew the second-highest overnight rating of any sporting event last weekend.
The middle game, featuring a 49-18 Penn State victory over Michigan State, drew a 4.7 overnight, up 34% from a 3.5 for comparable regional action in ’07.
The nightcap, the heavily hyped top 5 matchup between Texas Tech and Oklahoma, drew the biggest rating of the night. Oklahoma’s 65-21 trouncing of Texas Tech drew a 7.2 overnight rating, up 3% from a 7.0 for Missouri/Kansas in ’07, and tied as the third-best overnight of the season.
Overall, ABC’s tripleheader averaged a 5.6 overnight rating.
While ABC drew strong ratings for college football coverage on Saturday, CBS and NBC were less fortunate. SEC coverage on CBS, featuring LSU/Ole Miss, drew a 2.5/5 overnight rating on Saturday. Meanwhile, NBC’s last Notre Dame telecast of the season drew a 1.4/3 overnight rating, easily the lowest of the season for the network.
Highest overnight ratings for college football games this season.
8.4: Ohio State/USC (Sat., 9/13, 8 PM ABC)
8.2: Texas/Texas Tech (Sat., 11/1, 8 PM ABC)
7.2: Texas Tech/Oklahoma (Sat., 11/22, 8 PM ABC)
7.2: Ohio State/Penn State (Sat., 10/25, 8 PM ABC)
6.3: Oklahoma/Texas (Sat., 10/11, 12 PM ABC)
