Weekend ratings predictions

First, the results of last week’s predictions.
Source: Sports Business Daily

Sport	Game/Event	Net	Prediction	Final rating
NFL	Jets/Patriots (or other regional action) (Nov. 22)	CBS	13.4	12.9
The November 22 NFL national window (mostly Jets/Patriots) drew a 12.9 final rating on CBS, up 7% from a 12.1 for comparable coverage featuring Chargers/Steelers last year.
NFL	Colts/Ravens (or other regional action) (Nov. 22)	CBS	8.7	7.6
Regional NFL coverage featuring Colts/Ravens on November 22 drew a 7.6 final rating, down 6% from the comparable window last year.
NFL	Washington/Cowboys (or other regional action (Nov. 22)	FOX	9.9	10.8
FOX drew a 10.8 final rating for its November 22 NFL singleheader, up a tick from a 10.7 for last year’s comparable window.
College football	Penn St./Michigan St. (or other regional action) (Nov. 21)	ABC	4.0	3.0
Regional college football action featuring Penn St./Michigan St. drew a 3.0 final rating on ABC November 21, making the game the lowest rated of ABC’s college football tripleheader that day.
College football	Ohio St./Michigan (or other regional action) (Nov. 22)	ABC	4.4	4.2
The 4.2 final rating for the Ohio St./Michigan rivalry game was off slightly from a 4.3 last year.
College football	LSU/Mississippi (Nov. 21)	CBS	3.4	2.9
CBS drew a 2.9 final rating for LSU/Mississippi on November 21, the third-lowest of the season for a college football telecast on the network.
College football	Connecticut/Notre Dame (Nov. 21)	NBC	2.0	2.2
The final Notre Dame telecast of the season on NBC drew a 2.2 final rating, up 38% from a 1.6 for the network’s final Notre Dame telecast of last season.
MLS	Galaxy/Real Salt Lake (Nov. 22)	ESPN	0.9	0.7
The MLS Cup drew a 0.7 U.S. rating on ESPN November 22, up slightly from a 0.6 for last year’s game on ABC.
NFL	Washington/Eagles (or other regional action) (Nov. 29)	FOX	8.4	7.6
Regional NFL action featuring Washington against the Eagles drew a 7.6 final rating on FOX November 29, even in ratings versus last year’s comparable window.
NFL	Colts/Texans (or other regional action) (Nov. 29)	CBS	9.9	9.9
The November 29 NFL singleheader (mostly Colts/Texans) drew a 9.9 final rating on CBS, off 5% compared to last year’s singleheader.
College football	Miami/South Florida (Nov. 28)	ABC	3.5	2.7
ABC drew a 2.7 final rating for college football coverage featuring Miami/South Florida Thanksgiving weekend. Ratings for last year’s comparable window were unavailable.
College football	Florida St./Florida (Nov. 28)	CBS	4.7	4.7
Florida St./Florida drew a 4.7 final rating on CBS November 28, the fourth-highest of the season for a college football game on the network.
College football	Arkansas/LSU (Nov. 28)	ESPN	1.8	2.3
The November 28 Arkansas/LSU game drew a 2.3 U.S. rating on ESPN, up 10% from a 2.1 for Notre Dame/USC on Thanksgiving weekend last year.
College football	Alabama/Florida (Dec. 5)	CBS	10.4	11.1
Last Saturday’s Alabama/Florida game drew an 11.1 final rating on CBS, up 18% from a 9.4 last year, and the highest rating ever for the SEC Championship Game. The 11.1 rating is the highest for a non-Bowl college football game since ’06.
College football	Texas/Nebraska (Dec. 5)	CBS	6.3	7.5
The Texas/Nebraska Big 12 Championship Game drew a 7.5 rating on ABC, up 36% from last year’s game, and tied as the highest rating for a college football game on ABC since ’06.
College football	Georgia Tech/Clemson (Dec. 5)	ESPN	2.5	1.6
Opposite the Big 12 title game, the Georgia Tech/Clemson ACC Championship Game drew a 1.6 U.S. rating on ESPN last Saturday night, down 39% from a 2.6 for last year’s game, which aired in the afternoon on ABC.
College football	BCS Selection Show (Dec. 6)	FOX	6.6	5.8
The 5.8 final rating for last Sunday’s BCS Selection Show on FOX marks an 8% decline from last year.
NFL	Vikings/Cardinals (Dec. 6)	NBC	12.8	12.5
The Cardinals’ win over the Vikings last Sunday night drew a 12.5 final rating on NBC, up 30% from last year’s comparable Vikings/Bears game.
NFL	Cowboys/Giants (or 49ers/Seahawks) (Dec. 6)	FOX	15.4	16.6
Last Sunday’s NFL national window, featuring Cowboys/Giants, drew a 16.6 final rating on FOX — up 8% from last year, and the third-highest rating of the season for an NFL telecast.
NFL	Eagles/Falcons (or other regional action) (Dec. 6)	FOX	8.9	8.9
Regional NFL coverage featuring the Eagles’ win over the Falcons drew an 8.9 final rating on FOX last Sunday, up 17% from the previous week. (Ratings for last year’s comparable window were unavailable).
NFL	Patriots/Dolphins (or other regional action) (Dec. 6)	CBS	9.7	10.0
CBS drew a 10.0 final rating for last Sunday’s NFL singleheader window (mostly Patriots/Dolphins), the second-highest of the season for the singleheader window on CBS.
College football	Cincinnati/Pittsburgh (Dec. 5)	ABC	3.6	4.7
Last Saturday’s Cincinnati/Pittsburgh thriller drew a 4.7 final rating on ABC, up 88% from Virginia Tech/Boston College (the ACC Championship Game) in the comparable window last year, and the highest rating for an afternoon college football game on ABC since Texas/Oklahoma in October.
College football	Arizona/USC (Dec. 5)	ABC	3.0	2.2
The 2.2 final rating for last week’s Arizona/USC game marks a 12% decline from last year’s comparable USC/UCLA matchup (2.5).
College basketball	North Carolina/Kentucky (Dec. 5)	CBS	1.7	1.5
CBS drew a 1.5 final rating for last Saturday’s North Carolina/Kentucky game, topping both games of the network’s comparable doubleheader last year.
Golf	Chevron World Challenge, Third Round (Dec. 5)	NBC	1.4	0.6
Golf	Chevron World Challenge, Final Round (Dec. 6)	NBC	1.5	0.8
Tiger Woods has been dominating the headlines, but that did not translate into any increased curiosity for his tournament. Third and final round coverage of the Chevron World Challenge drew ratings of 0.6 and 0.8, respectively, last weekend on NBC. Ratings for last year’s event were unavailable. The Chevron World Challenge accounted for two of the three lowest rated sporting events of the weekend on broadcast.

This week’s predictions:

Sport	Game/Event	Date/Time	Net	Prediction
NFL	Eagles/Giants	8 PM Sunday	NBC	11.7
This crucial battle of Top 5 television markets should give NBC a huge boost in the ratings Sunday night. Last year’s comparable Washington/Ravens tilt drew a mere 8.1.
NFL	Chargers/Cowboys	4:15 PM Sunday	CBS	14.9
Look for CBS to draw its highest NFL rating of the season for Sunday’s NFL national window, which features the telegenic Cowboys hosting the AFC West-leading Chargers. Currently, the network’s season high is a 14.6 for coverage featuring Titans/Patriots in Week 6. Last year’s comparable Cowboys/Steelers game drew a 15.6.
NFL	Bengals/Vikings (or other regional action)	1 PM Sunday	CBS	9.9
The early window on CBS features a head-to-head clash of division leaders, featuring two of the most talked about players in the NFL — Brett Favre and Chad Ochocinco. Elsewhere, others get an attractive matchup between the undefeated Colts and the 8-4 Broncos. Look for both games to help drive the ratings upward for CBS; last year’s comparable window drew a 9.6.
NFL	Saints/Falcons (or other regional action)	1 PM Sunday	FOX	8.7
Sunday’s NFL singleheader on FOX features the Saints against the .500 Falcons in most of the country, with the #2 game on the slate pitting the Patriots against the 5-7 Panthers. Last year’s Week 14 singleheader on CBS drew a 10.7 rating.
College football	Heisman Trophy Presentation	8 PM Saturday	ESPN	2.7
Look for ratings to hold steady for Saturday’s Heisman Trophy Presentation on ESPN.
College football	Army/Navy	2:30 PM Saturday	CBS	2.3
Without much in the way of competition, expect ratings for the Army/Navy game to improve upon last year’s record low 2.0.
College basketball	Kentucky/Indiana	12 PM Saturday	CBS	1.4
Featuring Kentucky’s much hyped freshman John Wall and well known coach John Calipari, look for Saturday’s college basketball tilt on CBS to draw decent numbers.