More strong bowl ratings.

Excluding the Motor City Bowl, five bowl games last week saw increased viewership from last year, including increases of over 100% for the Poinsettia and Hawaii Bowls.

On Saturday, the Meineke Car Care Bowl between West Virginia and North Carolina drew a 3.9 national rating and 5.9 million viewers, up 26% in viewers from 4.7 million for last year’s tilt between Wake Forest and UConn.

The game that followed, the Champs Sports Bowl between Florida State and Wisconsin, drew a 4.5 national rating and 7.1 million viewers, making the Seminoles’ victory the highest rated, most viewed game of the bowl season so far. The 7.1 million viewers is a 51% increase over 4.7 million viewers for last year’s Boston College/Michigan State game.

The nightcap on Saturday, the Emerald Bowl featuring Miami and California, drew a 4.0 rating with 6.5 million viewers, a 40% increase in viewership from 4.6 million for Oregon State/Maryland in ’07.

Earlier in the week, the Poinsettia Bowl between TCU and Boise State drew 5.1 million viewers, up 115% from ’07, while the Hawaii Bowl between Notre Dame against Hawaii drew 4.4 million, up 119%.

Excluding the Motor City Bowl and the two inaugural bowl games that have been played this year, eight bowl games on ESPN and ESPN2 have averaged approximately 4.6 million viewers — a 44% increase over 3.2 million for the same eight bowl games in ’07.