Given the decline of the non-playoff bowl games in the post-BCS era, Friday’s Orange Bowl delivered strong numbers for ESPN.
The Florida State/Michigan Orange Bowl scored a 6.7 overnight rating on ESPN Friday night, up 40% from Mississippi State/Georgia Tech in 2014, the last time the game was not a playoff semifinal (4.8). The 6.7 is the second-highest for a non-playoff New Year’s Six bowl game (9 telecasts dating back to 2014), behind last year’s Rose Bowl (7.9).
As one would expect, overnights trailed last year’s Orange Bowl — Clemson/Oklahoma for a spot in the national championship game (9.7). It also trailed the last Orange Bowl in the BCS era, Clemson/Ohio State opposite the Cotton Bowl in January 2014 (7.2).
It is worth noting that only six BCS bowls had an overnight rating as low as Friday’s 6.7 — the 2012 Orange (4.5), 2009 Orange (5.9), 2012 Sugar (6.3), 2013 Sugar (6.4), 2013 Orange (6.5) and 2011 Fiesta (6.7) — compared to seven of nine New Year’s Six games.
FSU’s narrow win, which peaked at a 7.5 from 11:45 PM ET to Midnight, earned the highest overnight in at least 15 years for any bowl game prior to New Year’s Eve. Keep in mind that the major bowl games have typically not aired until New Year’s Eve.
(Fri. numbers from ESPN)
