FOX neared a season-high for Ohio State’s dismantling of Wisconsin.
Wisconsin-Ohio State averaged a 4.2 rating and 6.65 million viewers on FOX Big Noon Saturday last weekend, trailing only Oklahoma-Texas two weeks earlier (4.5, 7.32M) as the network’s highest rated and most-watched game of the season.
The Buckeyes’ blowout win was the second-highest rated and third-most watched college football game of the weekend, but the top game in the Noon ET timeslot. FOX has won the Noon window in six of nine weeks this season.
For the season, it ranks as the fifth-highest rated and ninth-most watched game on any network. It scored the highest Big Ten rating of the season and the fourth-largest audience.
Excluding bowls and conference championships, the game also delivered the sixth-largest college football audience ever on FOX. Ohio State has played in four of the top six.
Ratings increased 180% and viewership 197% from the same window last season (Wisconsin-Northwestern: 1.5, 2.24M).
Later in the day, Texas-TCU averaged a 1.6 (+23%) and 2.58 million (+30%).
Over on FS1, Oklahoma State-Iowa State averaged a 0.32 (+68%) and 529,000 (+63%) and Texas Tech-Kansas a 0.22 (-37%) and 379,000 (-33%). Cal-Utah brought up the rear with 251,000; there was no comparable window last year.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 10.29]
