College football fans, rejoice! The 2025 season is off to an electrifying start, with ESPN networks and ABC pulling in record-breaking viewership. From wild matchups to the ever-popular College GameDay, the first two weeks have set a new standard for college football broadcasts.
According to the latest press release from ESPN, both ESPN networks and ABC have achieved their best two-week start in years. Millions of viewers across the country have tuned in.
ESPN Networks: A Record-Breaking Start
ESPN networks have really outdone themselves, putting up their best two-week start for college football since 2009. Averaging 3.2 million viewers, these numbers show the network’s knack for keeping a huge audience glued to the screen.
This isn’t just some random spike. It probably says a lot about the quality of the broadcasts and the matchups ESPN keeps lining up.
Top-Performing Games
Through Week 2, ESPN networks have eight of the top 10 most-watched games. They account for 63 percent of minutes watched—a pretty wild statistic.
- Michigan/Oklahoma (9.7 million viewers) – ABC’s most-viewed Week 2 game since 2006
- Ole Miss/Kentucky (4.8 million viewers)
- San Jose St/Texas (3.7 million viewers)
- Illinois/Duke (2.2 million viewers)
- Kansas/Missouri (1.8 million viewers) – Most-watched ESPN2 game since 2022
ABC: Dominating the Airwaves
ABC is off to its strongest two-week start for college football since 2006. The network’s averaging 7.5 million viewers.
ABC snagged three of the top four best audiences of Week 2, which really says something about its pull with fans.
Highlight Games
The Michigan/Oklahoma game was a monster, drawing 9.7 million viewers—ABC’s biggest Week 2 game since 2006. Other big ones:
- Ole Miss/Kentucky – 4.8 million viewers
- San Jose St/Texas – 3.7 million viewers
College GameDay: A Fan Favorite
College GameDay just keeps delivering. The Week 2 episode averaged 2.6 million viewers, up 22 percent from last year’s Week 2.
The show even peaked at 3.7 million viewers across the full broadcast, which is kind of wild for a pregame show.
Viewer Engagement
Why the jump in viewers? There are a few things at play:
- Engaging content – In-depth analysis, interviews, and special segments
- High-profile guests – Attracting a diverse audience
- Interactive elements – Social media integration and fan participation
Future Projections
With such a strong start, it seems likely that viewership numbers will keep climbing. Upcoming games and special events could pull in even bigger crowds.
That momentum might just help ESPN and ABC hold onto their spots at the top of the sports broadcasting world. Curious about the nitty-gritty stats? You can check out the full press release on the ESPN Press Room.
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