Alabama’s latest blowout of a ranked opponent sank in the ratings on CBS.
Last Saturday’s Alabama/Mississippi State college football game had a 3.4 final rating and 5.4 million viewers on CBS, down 23% in ratings and 25% in viewership from Texas A&M/Auburn last year (4.4, 7.2M) and up 17% and 19%, respectively, from Mississippi State/Texas A&M in 2013 (2.9, 4.5M).
The Crimson Tide’s 25-point win ranked second for the weekend among college football games, trailing only Oklahoma/Baylor on ABC in primetime (3.8, 5.9M). Three of Alabama’s five CBS appearances this season have failed to top the charts, compared to just one of five last year. Overall, the SEC on CBS has been the week’s top draw just three times in 11 tries this season — compared to nine times in 13 weeks last year.
With that said, the game did top all of its head-to-head competition — edging ABC’s regional window (3.3, 5.2M) and trouncing Wake Forest/Notre Dame on NBC (1.3, 1.9M).
Georgia/Auburn drew a 1.9 and 2.95 million earlier in the day, down a tick in ratings and 1% in viewership from last year’s lone Noon ET SEC game on CBS, Georgia/Missouri in week six (2.0, 2.99M).
(Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily)
