While Notre Dame/Texas was the biggest ratings story of the week, ABC posted strong numbers for its opening Saturday of the season.
USC/Alabama scored a 4.6 final rating and 7.9 million viewers on ABC’s Saturday Night Football over the weekend, up 7% in ratings but down a fraction of a percent in viewership from Wisconsin/Alabama last year (4.3, 8.0M) and up 21% and 32%, respectively, from Florida State/Oklahoma State in 2014 (3.8, 6.0M).
Despite the slight dip in viewership, Alabama’s blowout win ranks as the highest rated Saturday Night Football opener since Clemson/Georgia in 2013 (4.8).
Earlier in the day, LSU/Wisconsin scored a 4.6 and 7.8 million — up 142% in ratings and 150% in viewership from BYU/Nebraska last year (1.9, 3.1M) and up 15% and 22%, respectively, from regional action featuring West Virginia/Alabama in 2014 (4.0, 6.4M).
The Badgers’ upset win is tied as ABC’s highest rated afternoon game on the opening weekend of the season since Miami/Ohio State in the 1999 Kickoff Classic (5.0).
Rounding out Saturday’s tripleheader, ABC scored a 3.5 and 5.7 million for Oklahoma/Houston. There was no comparable Noon ET window last year or in 2014.
The previously reported Notre Dame/Texas game had a 6.4 and 10.9 million on Sunday night.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily)
