The recent Rose Bowl featured a remarkable showdown as Indiana crushed Alabama with a score of 38-3, attracting an impressive average of 24.9 million viewers. This viewing figure marks the highest for a game in the College Football Playoff (CFP) since Michigan”s victory over Washington in the 2024 championship, which pulled in 25 million viewers.
As the CFP progresses into this week”s semifinals, the overall viewership is gaining momentum. The quarterfinals last week saw an average of 19.3 million viewers, representing a 14% increase compared to last year. The CFP has averaged 14.4 million viewers throughout the quarterfinal rounds, up 3% from the previous season. Notably, six of the eight games from this year are ranked among the top 10 most-watched games of the season.
Indiana”s first appearance at the Rose Bowl since the 1967 season peaked at 25.6 million viewers, a significant jump of 13% from last year”s Rose Bowl between Ohio State and Oregon. In another matchup, Miami secured a 24-14 win against second-seeded Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl, averaging 19 million viewers and peaking at 21.6 million. This figure represents a substantial 37% increase from the previous year”s quarterfinal game.
Mississippi also made headlines with an exciting 39-34 comeback victory over second-seeded Georgia, which drew an average of 18.7 million viewers, peaking at 21.4 million. This marked an 18% increase from last year”s Notre Dame-Georgia matchup that was affected by scheduling changes due to a tragic event.
Meanwhile, Oregon managed a 23-0 shutout against Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, averaging 15.9 million viewers, which is an 8% decrease from last season”s first quarterfinal. Despite the drop, it was still the eighth most-watched game of the season.
Next year, the broadcast landscape for the quarterfinal games will shift, as Warner Bros. Discovery will take over some of the matchups, including two quarterfinals and a semifinal game. The impact of last week”s losses by powerhouses Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State on future ratings remains uncertain. According to Nielsen, Alabama was the most-watched team during the regular season, averaging 8.49 million viewers.
As the semifinals approach, the scene is set for exciting matchups. The remaining teams, including Ole Miss and Miami, will kick off the semifinals on Thursday at the Fiesta Bowl, while Oregon and Indiana will clash on Friday at the Peach Bowl.
