The first round of the College Football Playoff averaged 9.9 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, TNT, TBS and truTV, a 7% decline from the previous year, according to ESPN and Nielsen. The 9.9 million average includes viewership from ABC, ESPN, TNT, TBS and truTV. The figure represents the combined audience across all five networks. It reflects the national reach of the College Football Playoff.
Viewership Drop and Network Distribution
The dip is largely attributed to the final game, James Madison vs Oregon, airing on TNT, TBS and truTV instead of ABC and ESPN, and the presence of a prime-time NFL game on the same night. With the final game on the secondary channels, many viewers who typically tune in to the playoff were split across networks. The NFL game also drew a sizable audience, further fragmenting viewership.
Big Numbers from the First Round
The Chicago Bears’ 22-16 overtime victory over the Green Bay Packers on Fox averaged 21.3 million viewers. In contrast, Oregon’s 51-34 win over James Madison drew 4.4 million. The Fox broadcast benefited from a broad audience, while the TNT/TBS/truTV coverage reached a smaller niche. These numbers illustrate the impact of network placement on viewership totals.
Ohio State vs Tennessee
Last year’s Ohio State-Tennessee matchup on ABC/ESPN drew 14.3 million viewers, a figure that did not face an NFL game. The absence of a prime-time NFL contest likely contributed to the higher audience. Comparing the two years highlights how scheduling conflicts can affect viewership. The 14.3 million average for the previous season remains a benchmark for future playoff broadcasts.
Alabama’s Dominant Performance
Alabama’s 34-24 comeback win over Oklahoma averaged 14.9 million viewers on ABC/ESPN, making it the most-watched first-round game in the expanded 12-team field. It also ranked as the fifth-most-watched game of the entire season. Six of the top 20 most-viewed games this year feature Alabama, underscoring the program’s drawing power. The Friday-night broadcast on ABC/ESPN attracted a broad national audience.
Notre Dame vs Indiana
Last year’s CFP opener between Notre Dame and Indiana averaged 13.4 million viewers. The figure demonstrates the sustained interest in high-profile first-round matchups. It also provides a reference point for the current season’s viewership trends. The Notre Dame-Indiana game set expectations for the playoff’s opening night.
Miami vs Texas A&M
Miami’s 10-7 victory over Texas A&M averaged 14.8 million viewers on ABC/ESPN, more than double the 6.4 million tuned in for the SMU-Penn State game in the same slot on TNT/TBS/truTV. The Saturday-afternoon broadcast on ABC/ESPN drew a substantial audience. The contrast with the TNT/TBS/truTV coverage highlights the impact of network selection. The Hurricanes’ win became the sixth-most-watched game of the season.
Hurricanes Sixth-Most
The ranking places the game among the top viewerships for the year. The Saturday-afternoon broadcast on ABC/ESPN contributed to the high audience. The performance underscores the appeal of the Hurricanes to national viewers. This ranking places the game among the top viewerships for the year.
Ole Miss vs Tulane
Ole Miss’s 41-10 rout of Tulane averaged 6.2 million viewers on TNT/TBS/truTV, down from the 8.6 million average for last year’s Texas-Clemson game in the same time slot and networks. The decline reflects the smaller audience for the secondary channels. The figure illustrates how viewership can vary even within the same broadcast network family. The 6.2 million average is one of the lower totals for the first round.
Philadelphia vs Washington
Philadelphia’s 29-18 win over Washington on Fox averaged 15.5 million viewers, the same audience that tuned in for last year’s Pittsburgh-Baltimore game. The Fox broadcast again drew a large national audience. The consistency in viewership numbers suggests a stable audience for games on the primary network. The Saturday middle game faced competition from the NFL in recent years.
Distribution and Future Outlook
ESPN sublicenses CFP games to TNT/TBS/truTV, and next year will host two first-round games on those channels. Warner Bros. Discovery channels will carry two quarterfinals and a semifinal. Last year’s four quarterfinal matchups averaged 16.9 million viewers on ESPN and ESPN2. These arrangements outline how the playoff’s broadcast rights are divided across networks for the coming seasons.
Key Takeaways
- The first-round average dropped 7% to 9.9 million viewers, largely due to network splits and an NFL game.
- Alabama’s 34-24 win over Oklahoma drew 14.9 million viewers, the highest-rated first-round game in the expanded field.
- ESPN’s sublicensing to TNT/TBS/truTV and Warner Bros. Discovery’s upcoming quarterfinal and semifinal slots shape the playoff’s future broadcast landscape.
