Ratings and viewership for the Cotton Bowl improved despite an early kickoff, though with one caveat.
The Michigan State/Baylor Cotton Bowl drew a 5.2 final rating and 9.1 million viewers on ESPN Thursday afternoon, up 33% in ratings and 39% in viewership from Missouri/Oklahoma State on FOX last year (3.9, 6.5M) but down 28% and 24%, respectively, from Texas A&M/Oklahoma on FOX in 2013 (7.2, 11.9M).
Last year’s game, it should be noted, aired directly opposite the Orange Bowl on ESPN.
The Spartans’ comeback victory earned the third-highest Cotton Bowl rating since 1998 and the third-largest audience since at least 2001, trailing only Texas A&M/Oklahoma in 2013 and LSU/Texas A&M in 2011 (5.8, 10.0M).
The Cotton Bowl topped the other four non-playoff games in the New Year’s Six, edging the Orange (5.0, 8.9M) and finishing comfortably ahead of the Fiesta (4.6, 7.4M) and Peach (3.4, 5.0M). Compared to New Year’s Day last year, the Cotton Bowl increased 63% in ratings and 67% in viewership over the Iowa/LSU Outback Bowl (3.2, 5.4M).
Despite the good numbers, the Cotton Bowl earned a lower rating and viewership than all-but-one BCS bowl (72 games from 1999-14). Only the 2012 Orange Bowl earned lower numbers (4.5, 7.2M). Overall, the four non-playoff New Year’s Six games would each rank among the five lowest rated and least-watched BCS games.
(Thu. numbers from ESPN Media Zone)
