Ratings Predictions: Cowboys-Eagles & More

The Cowboys-Eagles rivalry has delivered diminishing returns on NBC. Since hitting a 15.5 in Week 17 of the 2013 season, ratings for the teams’ subsequent Sunday night meetings fell to a 14.3 in 2014, 13.6 in 2015 and 10.2 opposite the World Series in 2016. Last year’s matchup bounced back to an 11.9, a solid number in the current era.

With both teams struggling to start the season, Sunday’s game should be crucial to the playoff race. Expect NBC to score a solid increase over last year’s 10.2 for Patriots-Broncos. Prediction: 11.5.

The Rams headline the NFL national window for a third straight week. The Seahawks are not as good as L.A.’s opponent last week (New Orleans), and not as popular as their opponent two weeks ago (Green Bay). It stands to reason that ratings will not be as high as either of those games, which scored a 13.0 and 12.8, respectively. In the same window last year, Cowboys-Falcons had a 12.8. Prediction: 12.3.

FOX has aired the three highest rated Noon ET games of the college football season, and the network has a good shot at #4 this weekend. Ohio State and Michigan State are two of the premier college football programs (at least on the field), and with both teams in the top 25, a strong number seems likely. Just last week, FOX earned a 3.1 for Ohio State against moribund Nebraska. In the same window last year, the same matchup had a 2.4 — but that was a 48-3 Buckeye rout. Prediction: 3.3.

Alabama against a top 25 opponent would ordinarily be a sure thing for CBS, but given the way the Tide have routed opponents this season, the network may have its work cut out for it this weekend. Ratings are almost certain to decline from last year, when Georgia-Auburn scored a 4.4. Prediction: 3.1.

It is the 25th anniversary of the FSU-Notre Dame “Game of the Century,” but that is about the only intrigue in what looks to be a mismatch. FSU is having such a nightmare season that playing spoiler seems out of the question. One thing NBC has in its favor — Notre Dame is top three, and FSU is still a national team. Since NBC began airing primetime Notre Dame games in 2009, only three have had less than a 1.5 rating. Prediction: 1.6.

Clemson has been torching teams almost as much as Alabama this season, including putting up a 77-spot against Louisville last week. Even so, their top 25 matchup against Boston College was considered good enough for ABC’s Saturday Night Football — and ESPN’s College Gameday. If BC can keep pace, expect a decent-enough rating. Even so, the game should fall well short of Notre Dame-Miami last year (3.9). Prediction: 2.6.

Ratings have dropped for nearly every NASCAR race this season, almost always by double-digits to historic lows. There is no reason to expect anything different at Phoenix. Last year’s race had a 2.2. Prediction: 1.8.

Few things move the needle more in the English Premier League than the Manchester Derby. The Manchester City-Manchester United matchup delivered the highest rating of last season on both NBC (0.9) and NBCSN (0.55). Look for Sunday’s matchup to do well by EPL standards. Prediction: 0.53.