ABC had mixed results for a college football tripleheader last weekend.
Last Saturday’s Oklahoma/Kansas State college football game had a 1.1 final rating and 1.6 million viewers on ABC, down 61% in ratings and 63% in viewership from regional action featuring TCU/Baylor last year (2.8, 4.4M) and down 54% and 55%, respectively, from additional regional coverage in 2013 (2.4, 3.5M).
The Sooners’ 55-0 win ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched college football game on ABC this season, and the network’s worst game in either measure since at least 2012. Head-to-head, it faced competition from both Michigan State/Michigan on ESPN (4.5, 7.4M) and Alabama/Texas A&M on CBS (3.6, 5.8M).
Earlier in the day, regional action drew a 2.3 and 3.3 million — down 18% in ratings and 22% in viewership from last year (2.8, 4.2M) and down 23% and 30%, respectively, from 2013 (3.0, 4.7M). Keep in mind the comparable games both last year and in 2013 were the Texas/Oklahoma Red River Rivalry.
Rounding out ABC’s tripleheader, the Penn State/Ohio State Saturday Night Football game drew a 3.3 and 5.9 million. There were no comparable games in previous years due to NASCAR commitments. The Buckeyes’ win trailed competing coverage of Florida/LSU on ESPN (3.9, 6.8M), but ranked as the third-most watched game of the week on any network.
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
