As Monday’s College Football Playoff (CFP) national championship gets closer, new TV ratings from Nielsen offer a peek into what fans have been watching. Indiana has pulled ahead of Miami in average viewership through the regular season and CFP semifinals.
Both teams have had their moments in the spotlight, though. It’s shaping up to be a championship worth tuning in for.
Indiana’s Dominance in Viewership
Indiana has been a real magnet for viewers this season, averaging 6.648 million viewers through the regular season and CFP semifinals, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel data. The Hoosiers have landed in two of the four most-watched games of the College Football Playoff so far.
The Rose Bowl Spectacle
The Rose Bowl was a showstopper. Indiana’s win over Alabama pulled in a whopping 23.9 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU.
This made it the most-watched CFP game of the 12-team era and the fourth-most watched Rose Bowl ever. You could feel the buzz around that game, and it definitely boosted Indiana’s numbers.
Big Ten Championship Triumph
Indiana’s dramatic victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship was another highlight. That matchup drew an average of 18.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched Big Ten title game on record.
It even beat out the SEC Championship for the top spot that weekend. Indiana’s knack for drawing big audiences in these moments has been hard to ignore.
Miami’s Strong Showing
Miami hasn’t been far behind. They averaged 5.588 million viewers through the regular season and CFP semifinals.
One thing to keep in mind: Miami’s regular season games on the ACC Network aren’t counted in Nielsen’s data, since the network doesn’t pay for Nielsen viewership. Even so, Miami has managed to rack up some big numbers.
Cotton Bowl Victory
Miami’s Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State was a huge draw, pulling in an average of 19.0 million viewers on New Year’s Eve. Only the Rose Bowl had more eyes on it this year.
That performance says a lot about Miami’s ability to get fans to tune in when it matters.
Week 1 Win Over Notre Dame
Miami’s Week 1 win over Notre Dame got 10.8 million people watching. That early victory gave Miami the edge they needed to make the CFP.
It’s a nice reminder that the first games of the season can really set the tone—and draw a crowd.
Comparing Quarterfinal and Semifinal Viewership
According to ESPN, TV ratings have stayed pretty steady with last year’s 12-team bracket. Quarterfinal games actually got a bit more attention, while semifinal ratings dipped slightly compared to last season.
Peach Bowl Highlights
The Peach Bowl between Indiana and Oregon was a big one on January 9, averaging 18.0 million viewers and peaking at 21.4 million viewers. Still, that was down from last year’s Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas, which averaged 20.6 million viewers in the same slot.
Fiesta Bowl Comparison
The Fiesta Bowl with Miami and Ole Miss brought in 15.8 million viewers and peaked at 17.2 million viewers on January 8. That’s a bit less than last year’s Fiesta Bowl, which had 17.8 million viewers as Notre Dame beat Penn State in the Orange Bowl.
Even with those small drops, the overall CFP viewership is up 14% heading into the semifinals, thanks mostly to strong quarterfinal TV ratings. Not bad at all, right?
Conclusion
We’re heading into the College Football Playoff national championship, and honestly, both Indiana and Miami have managed to grab the spotlight this season. Indiana’s average viewership is leading the pack, probably because of huge games like the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten Championship.
Miami’s no slouch either. Their Cotton Bowl win and that wild Week 1 victory over Notre Dame pulled in some hefty numbers too.
If you’re itching for more details on the TV ratings for Indiana and Miami before the big game, check out the full article on On3.
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