Michigan-Ohio State was the most-watched game of 2016
The final viewership numbers for the 2016 college football season have been released, and to nobody's surprise, the Michigan-Ohio State double-overtime thriller was the most-watched contest.
Over 16 million people watched the Nov. 26 matchup between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the country, as the Buckeyes' narrow win secured their place in the CFP.
Here's the nine biggest audiences for the 2016 season:
Rank | Viewership | Game | Network |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 16.8 million | Michigan at Ohio State | ABC |
2 | 11.09 million | Alabama vs. Florida | CBS |
3 | 10.94 million | Notre Dame at Texas | ABC |
4 | 10.38 million | Alabama at LSU | CBS |
5 | 9.28 million | Louisville at Clemson | ABC |
6 | 9.18 million | Wisconsin vs. Penn State | FOX |
7 | 8.96 million | Ohio State at Wisconsin | ABC |
8 | 8.45 million | Texas A&M at Alabama | CBS |
9 | 8.35 million | Ole Miss vs. Florida State | ESPN |
(Ratings courtesy: ESPN)
The season-opening game between Notre Dame and Texas on Sept. 4 was a massive ratings hit, bringing in almost 11 million viewers. After the Longhorns won the overtime thriller, observers were quick to proclaim that Texas was back, and that the win would serve as a launching point for a successful season.
Sadly, that would not be the case, as Texas and Notre Dame would post a combined 9-15 record on the season.
And despite Florida entering play as a massive 24-point underdog, its SEC championship matchup with Alabama still registered the second-best viewership numbers of the season.