It was a big weekend for college football, except on cable.
Saturday’s Texas/California college football game had a 1.5 final rating and 2.4 million viewers on ESPN, down 67% in ratings and 68% in viewership Mississippi/Alabama last year, which aired in an earlier timeslot (4.6, 7.6M). Keep in mind that last year’s game was the network’s highest rated and most-watched game of the season.
The Golden Bears’ win was the top game of the weekend on cable.
Earlier in the night, Texas A&M/Auburn had a 1.2 and 2.1 million viewers — down 37% in ratings and 35% in viewership from South Carolina/Georgia in an earlier timeslot last year (1.9, 3.2M) and up a tick and 19%, respectively, from USC/Boston College in a later window two years ago (1.1, 1.7M).
The numbers were even lower in the afternoon. Pittsburgh/Oklahoma State had just a 0.6 and 1.0 million, down 40% in ratings and viewership from Iowa State/Iowa in 2014 (1.0, 1.7M). There was no comparable window last year. Miami/Appalachian State started off the day with a 0.6 (-54%) and 955,000 (-50%).
Over on ESPN2, Mississippi State/LSU was the weekend’s top draw with a 0.7 (-31%) and 1.2 million (-38%). North Dakota State’s upset of Iowa earlier in the day bucked the downward trend with a 0.6 and 968,000, up 50% in ratings and 64% in viewership from Illinois/North Carolina last year (0.4, 590K). The game even topped ESPN’s Miami/Appalachian State game head-to-head.
ESPNU’s top game was North Texas/Florida with 543,000 viewers — down 36% from Western Carolina/Tennessee last year (844K) and down 23% from UL-Monroe/LSU in 2014 (709K).
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 9/20, Sports TV Ratings 9/20)
