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#6 Texas gets to play on the big stage this weekend when it travels to Stillwater to take on Oklahoma State. The game will be in prime time on ABC and a quick look at the dozen games that have garnered at least 5 million viewers this season tells you that is the place to play.
Most Watched College Football Games
Game Viewers Time Net
Ohio St. @ Penn St. 9.1 million 6:30 pm ABC
Ohio State vs. TCU 7.2 million 7:00 pm ABC
Michigan @ Notre Dame 7.1 million 6:30 pm NBC
Miami vs. LSU 6.5 million 6:30 pm ABC
Ohio State @ Purdue 6.3 million 6:30 pm ABC
Wisconsin @ Michigan 6.0 million 6:30 pm ABC
LSU @ Auburn 5.9 million 2:30 pm CBS
Va. Tech @ Florida St. 5.8 million 7:00 pm ESPN
Texas A&M @ Alabama 5.7 million 2:30 pm CBS
Texas vs. Oklahoma 5.6 million 11:00 am Fox
Georgia @ LSU 5.5 million 2:30 pm CBS
Washington vs. Auburn 5.3 million 2:30 pm ABC
As expected games involving the SEC and the Big 10 dominate the ratings. Only three Big 12 teams appear on the list. TCU’s game against Ohio State and of course the Texas-OU contest. That should tell you all you need to know about the depth of regard for the league among casual college football fans.
Here are the Longhorns ratings up to this weekend.
Texas Games
Texas @ Maryland 1.3 million 11:00 am FS1
USC @ Texas 2.9 million 7:00 pm Fox
TCU @ Texas 2.9 million 3:30 pm Fox
Texas @ Kansas State 974k 2:30 pm FS1
Texas-OU 5.6 million* 11:00 AM Fox* top game of the week
Baylor @ Texas 1.8 million 2:30 pm ESPN
I wouldn’t expect the Texas-OU game to move off the 11:00 AM slot any time soon. When both teams are good that is a slot it will dominate in the ratings. The game will rotate between Fox and ABC/ESPN and neither wants to dilute the match up by going against the SEC at 2:30, and there is no real movement to move it to prime time among the participants.
The only real competition for eyeballs when the Horns and ‘Pokes are on ABC will be the Notre Dame-Navy contest on CBS.