Expanded SEC Is the Gift That Keeps Giving for ABC

The game of the weekend for most casual college football fans will be No. 7 Tennessee at No. 12 Georgia—a matchup that has big implications around the new 12-team College Football Playoff, and yet again will likely drive a huge TV audience for ABC on Saturday night.

Through 11 weeks of the college football season, ABC has broadcast 12 of the top 15 most-watched games across all networks. That’s thanks to Disney’s new deal with the SEC, which expanded to 16 teams this year.

Georgia has played in the two highest-rated games so far this season: 13.2 million viewers for a win over Texas (Oct. 19) and 12 million for a loss to Alabama (Sept. 28). Tennessee played in the third-most-watched game—a win over Alabama (Oct. 19). All three were on ABC. 

The Volunteers (8–1) could likely suffer a loss and still keep their Playoff hopes alive, but a shot at the postseason would be all but over for the Bulldogs (7–2) with a third loss. That should create plenty of drama for CFB viewers, with no other matchups between ranked opponents happening Saturday night.

All Day Long

While ABC’s biggest CFB games have come in prime time, the network is also drawing big numbers in the late-afternoon window and even around noon ET kickoffs, despite tough competition from a rival network.

Fox’s Big Noon Saturday game window has drawn some monster TV ratings like 9.94 million viewers for Ohio State–Penn State and 9.35 million for Michigan-Texas, but ABC has six of the 10 largest noon ET audiences this season, according to Sports Media Watch, albeit with much lower ceilings. Last Saturday, a 49–17 Texas victory over Florida was the most-watched noon game with 3.9 million viewers.