Most-watched college football games, by era
Nielsen average audience, one figure per telecast; a final or revised figure replaces a preliminary one. Composites, peaks, reach and self-reported figures do not chart.
3,106
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-09-15
Before Out-of-Home (1950–2020)
1
CFP National Championship, Ohio State vs Oregon
33,400,000
2
CFP National Championship, Alabama vs Georgia
28,440,000
3
Alabama Crimson Tide at Ohio State Buckeyes
28,270,000
4
Oregon Ducks at Florida State Seminoles
28,160,000
5
CFP National Championship, Alabama vs Clemson
26,180,000
6
CFP National Championship, Alabama vs Clemson
26,030,000
7
CFP National Championship, Clemson vs LSU
25,590,000
8
CFP National Championship, Alabama vs Clemson
25,280,000
9
Clemson Tigers at Ohio State Buckeyes
21,150,000
10
Washington Huskies at Alabama Crimson Tide
19,344,000
11
Ohio State Buckeyes at Clemson Tigers
19,237,000
12
Stanford Cardinal at Michigan State Spartans
18,640,000
13
Michigan State Spartans at Alabama Crimson Tide
18,552,000
14
Alabama Crimson Tide at Georgia Bulldogs
17,499,000
15
Oklahoma Sooners at LSU Tigers
17,210,000
16
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
16,841,000
17
Washington Huskies at Ohio State Buckeyes
16,780,000
18
LSU Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
16,640,000
19
Oklahoma Sooners at Alabama Crimson Tide
16,340,000
20
Oregon Ducks at Wisconsin Badgers
16,300,000
21
USC Trojans at Penn State Nittany Lions
15,740,000
22
Oklahoma Sooners at Clemson Tigers
15,640,000
23
Missouri Tigers at Auburn Tigers
14,350,000
24
Michigan Wolverines at Alabama Crimson Tide
14,000,000
25
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan State Spartans
13,900,000
26
Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
13,780,000
27
Georgia Bulldogs at LSU Tigers
13,700,000
28
Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
13,657,000
29
Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies
13,590,000
30
Stanford Cardinal at Iowa Hawkeyes
13,552,000
31
Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers
13,550,000
32
Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
13,530,000
33
Georgia Bulldogs at Auburn Tigers
13,466,000
34
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Florida State Seminoles
13,250,000
35
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
13,200,000
36
Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers
12,918,000
37
Alabama Crimson Tide at Missouri Tigers
12,800,000
38
Florida Gators at Alabama Crimson Tide
12,760,000
39
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines
12,420,000
40
Florida State Seminoles at Alabama Crimson Tide
12,335,000
41
LSU Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
11,900,000
42
Alabama Crimson Tide at LSU Tigers
11,543,000
43
Michigan Wolverines at Florida State Seminoles
11,461,000
44
Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
11,430,000
45
Clemson Tigers at Ohio State Buckeyes
11,400,000
46
UCF Knights at Baylor Bears
11,300,000
47
Alabama Crimson Tide at Florida Gators
11,093,000
48
LSU Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
11,063,000
49
Michigan State Spartans at Ohio State Buckeyes
11,052,000
50
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Texas Longhorns
10,945,000
51
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines
10,830,000
52
Ohio State Buckeyes at Virginia Tech Hokies
10,585,000
53
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines
10,507,000
54
Alabama Crimson Tide at LSU Tigers
10,385,000
55
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide
10,270,000
56
Georgia Bulldogs at Baylor Bears
10,220,000
57
Texas Longhorns at Oklahoma Sooners
10,155,000
58
Florida State Seminoles at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
10,150,000
59
Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio State Buckeyes
9,868,000
60
Michigan State Spartans at Iowa Hawkeyes
9,818,000
61
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Ohio State Buckeyes
9,759,000
62
Wisconsin Badgers at South Carolina Gamecocks
9,590,000
63
Auburn Tigers at Oklahoma Sooners
9,515,000
64
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines
9,500,000
65
Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio State Buckeyes
9,430,000
66
Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
9,299,000
67
Louisville Cardinals at Clemson Tigers
9,294,000
68
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Georgia Bulldogs
9,290,000
69
Wisconsin Badgers at Penn State Nittany Lions
9,189,000
70
Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions
9,141,000
71
Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
9,132,000
72
Alabama Crimson Tide at LSU Tigers
9,110,000
73
Michigan State Spartans at Baylor Bears
9,090,000
74
Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin Badgers
8,964,000
75
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
8,940,000
76
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Ole Miss Rebels
8,940,000
77
Michigan Wolverines at Florida Gators
8,761,000
78
Florida State Seminoles at Miami Hurricanes
8,740,000
79
Baylor Bears at Oklahoma Sooners
8,700,000
80
Duke Blue Devils at Texas A&M Aggies
8,690,000
81
Northwestern Wildcats at Ohio State Buckeyes
8,659,000
82
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Wolverines
8,650,000
83
LSU Tigers at Texas Longhorns
8,630,000
84
Texas A&M Aggies at Alabama Crimson Tide
8,455,000
85
Ole Miss Rebels at Florida State Seminoles
8,354,000
86
Miami Hurricanes at Florida State Seminoles
8,350,000
87
Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
8,242,000
88
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
8,230,000
89
Alabama Crimson Tide at Ole Miss Rebels
8,169,000
90
Georgia Bulldogs at Clemson Tigers
8,140,000
91
Oklahoma Sooners at Ohio State Buckeyes
8,081,000
92
Navy Midshipmen at Army Black Knights
8,050,000
93
Wisconsin Badgers at Alabama Crimson Tide
7,967,000
94
Florida Gators at Alabama Crimson Tide
7,950,000
95
USC Trojans at Alabama Crimson Tide
7,944,000
96
Navy Midshipmen at Army Black Knights
7,940,000
97
North Carolina Tar Heels at Clemson Tigers
7,919,000
98
Oregon Ducks at Michigan State Spartans
7,898,000
99
LSU Tigers at Wisconsin Badgers
7,832,000
100
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at USC Trojans
7,736,000
Top 100 of 2,113 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 08:18 UTC
Panel + Out-of-Home (2020–2025)
1
Alabama Crimson Tide at Michigan Wolverines
27,760,000
2
CFP National Championship, Michigan vs Washington
25,050,000
3
CFP National Championship, Alabama vs Georgia
22,600,000
4
Ohio State Buckeyes at Georgia Bulldogs
22,450,000
5
CFP National Championship, Notre Dame vs Ohio State
22,100,000
6
TCU Horned Frogs at Michigan Wolverines
21,400,000
7
Ohio State Buckeyes at Oregon Ducks
21,100,000
8
Ohio State Buckeyes at Texas Longhorns
20,900,000
9
Ohio State Buckeyes at Clemson Tigers
19,150,000
10
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines
19,070,000
11
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Alabama Crimson Tide
18,890,000
12
CFP National Championship, Alabama vs Ohio State
18,710,000
13
Texas Longhorns at Washington Huskies
18,400,000
14
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Penn State Nittany Lions
17,800,000
15
Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide
17,520,000
16
Texas Longhorns at Arizona State Sun Devils
17,300,000
17
CFP National Championship, Georgia vs TCU
17,220,000
18
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
17,000,000
19
Cincinnati Bearcats at Alabama Crimson Tide
16,650,000
20
Utah Utes at Ohio State Buckeyes
16,630,000
21
Georgia Bulldogs at Texas Longhorns
16,600,000
22
Georgia Bulldogs at Michigan Wolverines
16,500,000
23
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines
15,890,000
24
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Georgia Bulldogs
15,800,000
25
Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide
15,270,000
26
CFP First round, Ohio State vs Tennessee
14,680,000
27
Penn State Nittany Lions at Boise State Broncos
13,900,000
28
Indiana Hoosiers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
13,400,000
29
Georgia Bulldogs at Texas Longhorns
13,190,000
30
Tennessee Volunteers at Georgia Bulldogs
13,060,000
31
Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes
12,300,000
32
Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide
11,990,000
33
Michigan Wolverines at Iowa Hawkeyes
11,660,000
34
Alabama Crimson Tide at Tennessee Volunteers
11,560,000
35
LSU Tigers at Georgia Bulldogs
10,890,000
36
Purdue Boilermakers at Michigan Wolverines
10,700,000
37
Alabama Crimson Tide at Florida State Seminoles
10,660,000
38
Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas Longhorns
10,600,000
39
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Ohio State Buckeyes
10,530,000
40
Penn State Nittany Lions at Oregon Ducks
10,500,000
41
Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
10,370,000
42
Georgia Bulldogs at Florida State Seminoles
10,300,000
43
Alabama Crimson Tide at Tennessee Volunteers
10,230,000
44
Penn State Nittany Lions at Utah Utes
10,200,000
45
Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
10,070,000
46
Colorado Buffaloes at Oregon Ducks
10,030,000
47
Michigan Wolverines at Iowa Hawkeyes
10,020,000
48
Ohio State Buckeyes at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
9,980,000
49
Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio State Buckeyes
9,960,000
50
Tennessee Volunteers at Georgia Bulldogs
9,960,000
51
Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions
9,940,000
52
Clemson Tigers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
9,920,000
53
Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide
9,610,000
54
Missouri Tigers at Ohio State Buckeyes
9,600,000
55
Ohio State Buckeyes at Oregon Ducks
9,600,000
56
Baylor Bears at Ole Miss Rebels
9,500,000
57
Texas Longhorns at Texas A&M Aggies
9,450,000
58
Kansas State Wildcats at TCU Horned Frogs
9,410,000
59
Navy Midshipmen at Army Black Knights
9,400,000
60
Texas Longhorns at Michigan Wolverines
9,350,000
61
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes
9,320,000
62
Colorado State Rams at Colorado Buffaloes
9,300,000
63
Michigan Wolverines at Michigan State Spartans
9,290,000
64
Oregon Ducks at Washington Huskies
9,250,000
65
USC Trojans at LSU Tigers
9,200,000
66
LSU Tigers at Florida State Seminoles
9,170,000
67
Michigan Wolverines at Penn State Nittany Lions
9,160,000
68
Alabama Crimson Tide at Kansas State Wildcats
9,100,000
69
Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
9,090,000
70
Alabama Crimson Tide at Florida Gators
8,920,000
71
CFP First round, Clemson vs Texas
8,900,000
72
Georgia Bulldogs at Clemson Tigers
8,860,000
73
LSU Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
8,820,000
74
Texas Longhorns at Alabama Crimson Tide
8,760,000
75
Georgia Bulldogs at Cincinnati Bearcats
8,720,000
76
Alabama Crimson Tide at Ole Miss Rebels
8,710,000
77
Tennessee Volunteers at Clemson Tigers
8,600,000
78
Alabama Crimson Tide at Texas A&M Aggies
8,330,000
79
Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions
8,270,000
80
Northwestern Wildcats at Ohio State Buckeyes
8,030,000
81
Baylor Bears at Oklahoma State Cowboys
8,020,000
82
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
8,000,000
83
BYU Cougars at Colorado Buffaloes
8,000,000
84
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Texas A&M Aggies
7,920,000
85
Alabama Crimson Tide at LSU Tigers
7,900,000
86
Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Longhorns
7,890,000
87
Oklahoma Sooners at Texas Longhorns
7,870,000
88
Alabama Crimson Tide at Florida Gators
7,860,000
89
Ole Miss Rebels at Penn State Nittany Lions
7,770,000
90
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Florida State Seminoles
7,750,000
91
Oregon Ducks at Ohio State Buckeyes
7,730,000
92
Pittsburgh Panthers at Michigan State Spartans
7,650,000
93
Auburn Tigers at Penn State Nittany Lions
7,610,000
94
Texas Longhorns at Oklahoma Sooners
7,600,000
95
Texas A&M Aggies at North Carolina Tar Heels
7,580,000
96
Army Black Knights at Navy Midshipmen
7,580,000
97
Alabama Crimson Tide at LSU Tigers
7,580,000
98
Clemson Tigers at Georgia Bulldogs
7,580,000
99
Florida State Seminoles at LSU Tigers
7,550,000
100
Colorado Buffaloes at TCU Horned Frogs
7,260,000
Top 100 of 867 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 08:18 UTC
Big Data + Panel (2025–current)
1
CFP Quarterfinal: Rose Bowl, Alabama vs Indiana
23,900,000
2
Miami Hurricanes at Ohio State Buckeyes
19,000,000
3
CFP Quarterfinal: Sugar Bowl, Georgia vs Ole Miss
18,700,000
4
Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio State Buckeyes
18,330,000
5
Oregon Ducks at Indiana Hoosiers
18,000,000
6
Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide
16,860,000
7
Texas Longhorns at Ohio State Buckeyes
16,600,000
8
Oregon Ducks at Texas Tech Red Raiders
15,900,000
9
Miami Hurricanes at Ole Miss Rebels
15,800,000
10
Alabama Crimson Tide at Oklahoma Sooners
14,940,000
11
CFB Texas A&M–Miami
14,800,000
12
Texas A&M Aggies at Texas Longhorns
13,040,000
13
Georgia Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers
12,580,000
14
Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers
11,310,000
15
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Miami Hurricanes
10,800,000
16
Oklahoma Sooners at Alabama Crimson Tide
10,480,000
17
Texas Longhorns at Georgia Bulldogs
10,430,000
18
LSU Tigers at Clemson Tigers
10,400,000
19
CFB Michigan–Oklahoma
9,700,000
20
Michigan Wolverines at Texas Longhorns
9,050,000
21
BYU Cougars at Texas Tech Red Raiders
8,990,000
22
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at BYU Cougars
8,700,000
23
Army Black Knights at Navy Midshipmen
7,840,000
24
Georgia Bulldogs at Florida Gators
7,790,000
25
Penn State Nittany Lions at Clemson Tigers
7,600,000
26
LSU Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
7,540,000
27
Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio State Buckeyes
7,190,000
28
LSU Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels
6,700,000
29
LSU Tigers at Oklahoma Sooners
6,380,000
30
Texas A&M Aggies at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
6,200,000
31
CFB Ole Miss–Tulane
6,200,000
32
Virginia Cavaliers at Missouri Tigers
6,000,000
33
Arkansas Razorbacks at Texas Longhorns
5,610,000
34
Tennessee Volunteers at Illinois Fighting Illini
5,380,000
35
Missouri Tigers at Oklahoma Sooners
5,370,000
36
Ole Miss Rebels at Mississippi State Bulldogs
5,230,000
37
USC Trojans at TCU Horned Frogs
4,920,000
38
Texas A&M Aggies at Missouri Tigers
4,870,000
39
Oklahoma Sooners at Tennessee Volunteers
4,810,000
40
Tennessee Volunteers at Florida Gators
4,760,000
41
Iowa Hawkeyes at Vanderbilt Commodores
4,600,000
42
Vanderbilt Commodores at Texas Longhorns
4,510,000
43
New Mexico Lobos at Minnesota Golden Gophers
4,430,000
44
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Wolverines
4,400,000
45
CFB James Madison–Oregon
4,400,000
46
BYU Cougars at Texas Tech Red Raiders
3,980,000
47
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Pittsburgh Panthers
3,960,000
48
Duke Blue Devils at Virginia Cavaliers
3,880,000
49
Boise State Broncos at Washington Huskies
3,790,000
50
Michigan Wolverines at Northwestern Wildcats
3,760,000
51
Navy Midshipmen at Cincinnati Bearcats
3,440,000
52
Florida International Panthers at UTSA Roadrunners
3,130,000
53
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Utah Utes
3,020,000
54
LSU Tigers at Houston Cougars
2,920,000
55
California Golden Bears at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
2,700,000
56
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Mississippi State Bulldogs
2,610,000
57
Clemson Tigers at Louisville Cardinals
2,560,000
58
Pittsburgh Panthers at East Carolina Pirates
2,510,000
59
Florida Gators at Ole Miss Rebels
2,500,000
60
North Texas Mean Green at Tulane Green Wave
2,410,000
61
Central Michigan Chippewas at Northwestern Wildcats
2,390,000
62
Arizona State Sun Devils at Duke Blue Devils
2,340,000
63
CFB Oklahoma State–Oregon
2,320,000
64
Georgia Bulldogs at Mississippi State Bulldogs
2,320,000
65
Miami Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Panthers
2,220,000
66
Arizona Wildcats at SMU Mustangs
2,170,000
67
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Southern Miss Golden Eagles
2,050,000
68
UConn Huskies at Army Black Knights
1,810,000
69
Rice Owls at Texas State Bobcats
1,800,000
70
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
1,750,000
71
UNLV Rebels at Ohio Bobcats
1,700,000
72
Toledo Rockets at Louisville Cardinals
1,640,000
73
UNLV Rebels at Boise State Broncos
1,520,000
74
Memphis Tigers at NC State Wolfpack
1,510,000
75
Miami Hurricanes at SMU Mustangs
1,500,000
76
North Texas Mean Green at San Diego State Aztecs
1,390,000
77
South Carolina Gamecocks at Ole Miss Rebels
1,320,000
78
Washington State Cougars at Utah State Aggies
1,250,000
79
Syracuse Orange at Miami Hurricanes
1,200,000
80
Georgia Southern Eagles at App State Mountaineers
1,200,000
81
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns at Delaware Blue Hens
1,190,000
82
Old Dominion Monarchs at South Florida Bulls
1,180,000
83
Troy Trojans at James Madison Dukes
1,150,000
84
Miami (OH) RedHawks at Western Michigan Broncos
1,060,000
85
CFB Baylor–SMU
1,000,000
86
Troy Trojans at Jacksonville State Gamecocks
960,000
87
Cincinnati Bearcats at Utah Utes
819,000
88
Kennesaw State Owls at Western Michigan Broncos
810,000
89
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Virginia Cavaliers
734,000
90
Miami (OH) RedHawks at Fresno State Bulldogs
640,000
91
Missouri State Bears at Arkansas State Red Wolves
460,000
91 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 08:18 UTC
Era unstated
1
Miami Hurricanes at Indiana Hoosiers
30,100,000
2
Alabama Crimson Tide at Georgia Bulldogs
10,400,000
3
Oregon Ducks at Penn State Nittany Lions
8,500,000
4
Wisconsin Badgers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish
7,421,000
5
Vanderbilt Commodores at Alabama Crimson Tide
6,400,000
6
TCU Horned Frogs at North Carolina Tar Heels
6,070,000
7
Clemson Tigers at LSU Tigers
5,755,000
8
Washington State Cougars at Washington Huskies
5,136,000
9
North Carolina Tar Heels at TCU Horned Frogs
4,900,000
10
Boise State Broncos at Oregon Ducks
4,831,000
11
Louisville Cardinals at Ole Miss Rebels
4,695,000
12
Baylor Bears at Auburn Tigers
4,244,000
13
Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Wolverines
4,135,000
14
SMU Mustangs at Florida State Seminoles
4,070,000
15
East Carolina Pirates at Alabama Crimson Tide
3,779,000
16
Colorado Buffaloes at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
3,734,000
17
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Cincinnati Bearcats
3,330,000
18
NC State Wolfpack at Virginia Cavaliers
3,200,000
19
North Texas Mean Green at Indiana Hoosiers
2,822,000
20
Texas State Bobcats at Texas Longhorns
2,309,000
21
Nevada Wolf Pack at Penn State Nittany Lions
2,240,000
22
Miami Hurricanes at Stanford Cardinal
1,978,000
23
New Mexico State Aggies at Florida State Seminoles
1,960,000
24
Oregon State Beavers at Houston Cougars
1,686,000
25
Marshall Thundering Herd at Georgia Bulldogs
1,670,000
26
Memphis Tigers at UNLV Rebels
1,650,000
27
Ball State Cardinals at Ohio State Buckeyes
1,601,000
28
Missouri State Bears at Texas A&M Aggies
1,570,000
29
Fresno State Bulldogs at USC Trojans
1,322,000
30
Howard Bison at Alabama A&M Bulldogs
1,200,000
31
Ohio Bobcats at Nebraska Cornhuskers
1,120,000
32
Boston College Eagles at Cincinnati Bearcats
1,100,000
33
Toledo Rockets at Michigan State Spartans
873,000
34
Mississippi State Bulldogs at Southern Miss Golden Eagles
771,000
35
UNLV Rebels at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
420,000
35 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 08:18 UTC