Viewership sank for Michigan State’s upset loss to Nebraska, but still led the way on cable.
Saturday’s Michigan State/Nebraska college football game scored a 2.0 final rating and 3.5 million viewers on ESPN, down 41% in ratings and 40% in viewership from Auburn/Mississippi last year (5.8M) but up 43% and 52%, respectively, from Tennessee/Missouri in 2013 (2.3M).
Despite the decline, the Cornhuskers’ upset win scored the week’s top college football audience on cable. In three of the past four weeks, ESPN’s top game has involved Michigan and/or Michigan State.
Later in the night, the Arizona/USC nightcap had a 1.0 and 1.5 million — down 41% in ratings and 44% in viewership from Arizona/UCLA last year (1.7, 2.7M). There was no comparable window in 2013.
The afternoon games fared better compared to previous years. Vanderbilt/Florida scored 2.7 million in the Noon ET window, up 41% from Wisconsin/Rutgers last year (1.9M) and up 35% from Illinois/Penn State in 2013 (2.0M). Iowa/Indiana drew 1.9 million, up 52% from Clemson/Virginia in 2013 (1.2M); there was no comparable window last year due to NASCAR.
Elsewhere on the ESPN family of networks, ESPN2’s top audience was 1.1 million for Temple/SMU Friday night — up 67% from Cincinnati/Tulane last year (648K) but down 38% from Washington/UCLA in 2013 (1.7M). ESPNU topped out at 876,000 for Penn State/Northwestern Saturday afternoon, up 2% from Duke/Pittsburgh last year (863K) and up 165% from Army/Air Force in 2013 (331K).
(Wknd. numbers via TV Media Insights/ShowBuzz Daily)
