The Red River Rivalry scored its largest audience in four years last weekend.
Last Saturday’s Texas/Oklahoma college football game had a 3.3 final rating and 5.0 million viewers on ABC, up 50% in ratings and 53% in viewership from Ohio State/Maryland last year (2.2, 3.3M). There was no comparable game in 2013.
Compared to last year’s Texas/Oklahoma game, which took place one week later in the season, ratings and viewership increased by 18% in both measures from a 2.8 and 4.2 million. The Longhorns’ win ranks as the most-watched edition of the Red River Rivalry since 2011 (6.5M).
It was also the most-watched Noon ET game on any network this season, and the top college football game of the week — edging Georgia/Tennessee on CBS in the latter category (4.9M). In five of six weeks this season, ESPN or ABC has aired the top game.
In other action, ABC drew a 2.3 and 3.5 million for the Miami/Florida State Saturday Night Football game — down 18% in ratings and 23% in viewership from Nebraska/Michigan State last year (2.8, 4.6M) and down 48% and 52%, respectively, from Ohio State/Northwestern in 2013 (4.4, 7.4M). The game ranks as the lowest rated matchup between the rivals since at least 2003.
Rounding out ABC’s tripleheader, regional action drew a 2.2 and 3.5 million in the mid-afternoon window — down a tick in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (2.3, 3.6M) and down 24% and 22%, respectively, from 2013 (2.9, 4.4M), both of which were also regional windows.
(Wknd. numbers from ESPN, with additional info from TV Media Insights)
