U.S. audiences continue to show strong demand for college football, with postseason viewership posting significant gains despite competition from the NFL, NBA, and other events.
The College Football Playoff quarterfinals on ESPN averaged 19.3 million viewers, a 14% increase from last year. Through the first two rounds, the CFP averaged 14.4 million viewers per game, up 3% overall and reversing a decline in the opening round.
Other quarterfinals delivered strong NFL-level audiences: Miami over Ohio State at 19 million, Ole Miss' upset of Georgia at 18.7 million, and Oregon over Texas at 15.9 million.
Non-CFP bowls on ESPN also saw gains, averaging 2.7 million viewers through Dec. 27 — up 13% year-over-year. The Pop-Tarts Bowl between Georgia Tech and BYU led with 8.7 million viewers, the highest for a non-CFP/New Year’s Six game in six years, even amid a high-profile Notre Dame snub.
Nielsen updates, including expanded out-of-home tracking and Big Data + Panel measurements, contributed to some increases, but the numbers reinforce college football's position as America's second-most popular sport behind the NFL.