Despite changing channels for the first time in years, Ohio State-Michigan ratings held up quite well on FOX.
Last Saturday’s Ohio State-Michigan college football game drew a 6.1 rating and 10.5 million viewers on FOX, down 35% in ratings and 38% in viewership from last year (9.4, 16.8M) and down 5% and 3% respectively from 2015 (6.4, 10.8M), both of which aired on ABC.
Though down from the previous two years, ratings and viewership were the third-best for the rivalry since the #1 vs. #2 matchup in 2006 (13.0, 21.0M) and the second-best for a college football game on FOX (excluding bowls). The 2013 Ohio State-Michigan State Big Ten Championship holds the top spot (7.9, 13.0M).
For the season, the Buckeyes’ win ranks third behind Alabama-Auburn later in the day (7.6, 13.7M) and Alabama-Florida State in week one (6.9, 12.3M).
The strong numbers did not carry into the rest of the day. Michigan State-Rutgers had just a 1.2 and 2.0 million immediately afterward, with “Iron Bowl” competition no doubt playing a role, and the Washington State-Washington “Apple Cup” had a 1.3 (-24%) and 2.4 million (-22%) in primetime.
On Black Friday, Texas Tech-Texas had 3.6 million on FOX — up 28% from Washington-Washington State last year (2.8M). This year’s game aired in primetime and last year’s in the afternoon. On FS1, Iowa-Nebraska drew 1.4 million viewers, up 42% from TCU-Texas last year (986K). The same matchup on ABC last year had 4.2 million viewers.
The 2017 college football ratings chart is available here.
Ohio State-Michigan Ratings Chart (Click to Enlarge)
[Wknd. numbers from ShowBuzz Daily 11.29]
