A return to broadcast television, and a thrilling finish, helped Texas-Oklahoma ratings to a seven-year high.
Last Saturday’s Texas-Oklahoma college football game earned a 3.5 rating and 5.61 million viewers on FOX, up 119% in ratings and 131% in viewership from the same window on the network last year (Iowa State-Oklahoma: 1.6, 2.43M).
Compared to previous editions of the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry, this year’s game increased 67% in ratings and 55% in viewership from last year on ESPN (2.1, 3.62M) and 106% and 101% respectively from 2016 on FS1 (1.7, 2.79M). Versus the previous meeting on broadcast television — 2015 on ABC — ratings increased 6% (from 3.3) and viewership 12% (from 4.99M).
The Longhorns’ last-second win ranks as the highest rated and most-watched edition of the Red River Rivalry since 2011 on ABC (4.3, 6.53M).
It was also the highest rated and most-watched college football game of week six, marking the first time this season — and just the third time ever — that FOX has topped the charts on a regular season weekend.
Not counting bowls or conference championship games, Texas-Oklahoma ranks as the sixth-most watched college football game ever on Fox Sports. It was the most-watched that did not involve a Big Ten team or Notre Dame.
Aided by the strong lead-in, FOX earned a 2.45 and 3.99 million for Indiana-Ohio State later Saturday afternoon — up 49% in ratings and 51% in viewership from last year (Maryland-Ohio State: 1.6, 2.65M).
The Washington-UCLA nightcap brought up the rear with a 1.3 and 2.03 million — but that was still up a tick in ratings and 5% in viewership last year (Washington State-Oregon: 1.2, 1.92M) and 18% and 10% respectively from 2016 (Washington-Oregon: 1.1, 1.84M).
Over on FS1, Northwestern-Michigan State led the way with a 0.40 (+60%) and 620,000 (+77%). Other games were far weaker. Kansas State-Baylor had a 0.20 and 317,000, down 73% and 72% respectively from last year’s higher-profile West Virginia-TCU game (0.7, 1.15M). Cal-Arizona drew a 0.22 (-44%) and 406,000 (-36%).
Texas-Oklahoma Viewership, Past Decade
[Numbers from Fox Sports 10.9, Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 10.9]
