Wednesday, October 7, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

It’s All About the U — College GameDay Draws Highest Rating of the Season

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

College football is better with Miami being relevant.

Photo via Sun Sentinel
  • ESPN’s first-ever College GameDay Built by The Home Depot from the campus of the University of Miami drew a 1.5 overnight, the show’s highest-rating of the season.
  • Miami, Fla., was the №1 local market, earning a 15.6 rating. The rating is the market’s second highest on record for a regular season game on ESPN’s networks.

College GameDay’s much anticipated matchup of (then) no. 3 ranked Notre Dame and no. 7 ranked Miami did not disappoint the network giant. The Canes, riding a new energy injected into the program by Coach Mark Richt, were out in full-force on Saturday as College GameDay rolled onto campus for the first time in school history.

This hype must have been felt by the players as they dismantled a higher ranked Notre Dame side, 41–8. However, the real winner from Saturday was ESPN as they drew their highest GameDay rating of the season according to Derek Volner of ESPN.

This was an important game for ESPN as the network has notably faced declining ratings and a number of high-profile layoffs in recent months. College GameDay, a Saturday ‘must-watch’ for college football fans across the country, remains an important piece of the network and this weekend’s ratings are a reflection.

With the regular season coming to a close, ratings similar to Saturday can be expected over the course of the coming weeks and as bowl season looms on the horizon. You can find GameDay next week as they head to Madison, Wisconson to catch the Badgers take on the Michigan Wolverines in an important Big 10 matchup with potential playoff implications.


Front Office Sports is a leading multi-platform publication and industry resource that covers the intersection of business and sports.

Want to learn more, or have a story featured about you or your organization? Contact us today.

https://upscri.be/f32ae1/

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Colts’ Irsay-Gordon Defends Her Ownership Approach Amid Criticism

Leadership is “about listening,” she told Front Office Sports Tonight.

NFL Referees Association to Challenge Officials’ Suspensions

The NFLRA called the penalties “excessive and inconsistent with past precedent.”
Oct 3, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders following a touchdown scored in the first quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado’s Skid Renews Questions About Deion Sanders’s Roster Model

Colorado enters its bye week on a three-game losing streak.
Sep 5, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney (center) talks to UCLA Bruins linebacker Jalen Woods (left) before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

UCLA’s Football Spending Spree Is Already Paying Off

UCLA is 4–0 heading into a high-profile matchup vs. Oregon.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/7/26 – EuroLeague Rejects NBA, LeBron’s Helicopter Sparks Backlash, $12M Super Bowl Ads

0:00

Featured Today

Cubs behind the scenes

Hollywood and TikTok: Sports Media’s New ‘Blueprint’

Teams and leagues are pouring money into the quest for fans.
October 2, 2026

How the Baseball Cap Became a ‘Behemoth’

The hat has become essential for athletes, fans, and the sports-agnostic.
Morishita-Sato-homerun-celebration-at-Meiji-Jingu-Baseball-Staidum-2025
September 28, 2026

Japanese Baseball Is Fighting Back Against MLB Talent Drain

Nippon Professional Baseball is reimagining how to be a global juggernaut.
Aug 9, 2026; Bedminster, New Jersey, USA; President Donald Trump walks out of the clubhouse during the final round of the LIV Golf New York tournament at Trump National Bedminster.
September 25, 2026

Trump’s Year of Sports Gets Busier With CFB, Presidents Cup

The impact of Trump’s attendance varies across each sporting event.
A Bar of Their Own
September 25, 2026

Women’s Sports Bars: Novelty Has Worn Off, ‘That’s a Good Thing’

They’re leveling up, but sustainability remains the first consideration.

PGA Championship Tees Off With Free Food, Record Hospitality Sales

General admission includes unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Ryan Wedding
March 7, 2025

Feds Put $10M Bounty on Olympian for Murder, Cocaine Trafficking

Ryan Wedding competed at the 2002 Winter Games for Canada.
Jun 12, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; St. Louis Blues center Ivan Barbashev (49) and right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Boston Bruins in game seven of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden
May 15, 2025

The 10 Biggest Stanley Cup Upsets of All Time

Since the 1984–1985 NHL season, 10 squads have defied the odds.
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
Caitlin Clark
February 28, 2025

Chicago Sky Finally Move Caitlin Clark Games to United Center

The games could enter WNBA attendance record books.
AAF
February 27, 2025

Six Years After AAF’s Collapse, $180 Million Lawsuit Lives On

A Texas judge will determine whether the collapse was mismanagement or fraud.
San Diego FC
February 19, 2025

$500M San Diego FC Debut Highlights Surging MLS Valuations

Club ownership paid a league-record $500 million expansion fee.
Tom Brady
February 7, 2025

Tom Brady Calls Chiefs Conspiracy Theories ‘BS’

The Fox analyst defended NFL refs ahead of Super Bowl LIX.