The Alabama Crimson Tide hosted the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night in what was billed as the biggest game of the college football season. It certainly delivered on the hype.
While high viewership numbers were anticipated, the official figures released by ESPN are staggering.
The game peaked at 14.1 million viewers and averaged 12 million, making it the most-watched regular season primetime game on any network in the past seven years. According to ESPN, it was also their most-streamed regular season college football game ever.
With marquee matchups such as Alabama vs. Tennessee and Georgia vs. Texas set to take place in a few weeks, it will be challenging for any regular season game to surpass the 14.1 million peak viewership. Last season’s Rose Bowl and National Championship both drew over 25 million viewers, demonstrating that national interest in college football is at an all-time high.
As the Tide look to make a postseason run, expect ESPN and its affiliated networks to continue posting impressive ratings.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
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