College Football TV Ratings Week 8: While Colorado enjoyed open week, Nick Saban's Alabama entered top 5
Week 8 of the college football season saw a lot of incredible action, with rivalry games and conference matchups galore. With many eyeballs on some of the premier matchups, we also saw some big teams not play this week, like the Colorado Buffaloes.
This article will dive into the five most-watched games for Week 8 of the college football season and discuss why they got the most attention.
Ranking the most watched college football games of Week 8
#5 Utah vs. USC (3.23 million)
A rematch of last season's Pac-12 championship game saw two ranked teams battle it out. Utah dominated with a 34-32 road win and held Caleb Williams to zero touchdowns or interceptions.
With the game being a bit over the place and essentially taking the Trojans out of the College Football Playoff race, people watched the future No. 1 pick struggle to get going.
#4 Michigan vs. Michigan State (3.73 million)
The in-state rivalry between the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans was fourth in the Week 8 viewership list with 3.73 million viewers.
With NBC broadcasting the game, it was interesting as two teams with coaching scandals and national media going up against one another. The game was never in doubt, with a 49-0 Wolverines win.
#3 Duke vs. FSU (4.08 million)
The Duke Blue Devils and the Florida State Seminoles were in a battle of ranked ACC foes, and the game was close until the fourth quarter.
This matchup was televised on ABC, and having the lead-in of Washington State vs. Oregon helped some viewership. An overall close game for three quarters makes things great as well.
#2 Tennessee vs. Alabama (8.01 million)
The Tennessee Volunteers playing the Alabama Crimson Tide was one of the most viewed games on the Week 8 college football slate.
It was the only game on CBS that appears in the top five. Alabama is a powerhouse and broke into the top 10 of the AP Poll with a 34-20 win. The Crimson Tide continue to be a force in the Southeastern Conference.
#1 Penn State vs. Ohio State (9.96 million)
Penn State taking on Ohio State was the most-watched matchup of Week 8. The big game on FOX at the noon slate had almost 10 million people tune in for the Big Ten matchup.
With both teams battling for a College Football Playoff spot, this makes sense as to why so many people viewed the game. The Buckeyes came on top with a 20-12 win.