• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Michigan-Ohio State Draws Biggest Rating In A Decade

  • Fox draws 17 million viewers for Big Ten showdown.
  • College football battle outpaces network’s USA-England World Cup match.
University of Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy scrambles to complete pass against Ohio State
Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Two days after televising the most-watched regular-season game in NFL history, Fox Sports scored again by broadcasting the most-watched college game across any network in a decade.

The Saturday telecast of Michigan’s 45-23 win over Ohio State drew 17 million viewers — good for the most-watched regular-season college game in the network’s history.

That’s more than the 15.4 million viewers for Fox’s telecast of the USA vs. England World Cup soccer match on Black Friday. 

  • The Wolverines’ road win over the Buckeyes was the most-watched college football game (excluding bowls and conference championships) on any network since 2011. The numbers were bolstered by Nielsen’s addition of out-of-home ratings in bars and restaurants.
  • Viewership peaked at 19.6 million viewers. The telecast was up 3% from last year’s comparable game window.

The impressive performance came after Fox drew a massive 42 million viewers for its Thanksgiving Day telecast of the Dallas Cowboys’ 28-20 win over the New York Giants.

That was the biggest audience for an NFL regular-season game since the “Monday Night Football” clash between Joe Montana’s San Francisco 49ers and Lawrence Taylor’s Giants on Dec. 3, 1990.

Fox could pop another big number Tuesday as the USA faces Iran in Qatar in a must-win match.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Colleges Are Raising Student Fees to Pay for Athlete Revenue-Sharing

Schools are preparing to pay student athletes up to $20.5 million annually.
Woody Johnson, primary owner of the New York Jets, is shown, at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, Monday, January 27, 2025, in Florham Park.

Premier League’s NFL Ties Deepen As Jets Owner Buys Crystal Palace

John Textor was at risk of running afoul of the UEFA’s ownership rules.
Dec 27, 2024; San Diego, CA, USA; The Washington State Cougars ban perform during the second half at the Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit:

Pac-12 Announces CBS As ‘Anchor’ in New Media-Rights Deal

The league may announce expansion before finalizing the rest of the package.
Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) is shown during the first quarter of their game against South Dakota Saturday, September 7 , 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Sues Miami for ‘Tampering’ With Football Transfer

Xavier Lucas signed NIL deals in Madison before transferring to Miami.

Featured Today

Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) dribbles the ball upcourt against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half at Dickies Arena

NIL Is Shrinking the Pool of NBA Draft Entrants

Agents are now advising many players to stay in school.
Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field
June 21, 2025

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.
June 17, 2025

Zaslav Takes Pay Cut, TNT Sports Future Unclear in WBD Shake-Up

The TNT Sports parent company retools its executive pay after shareholder pushback.
Tyrese Haliburton
June 16, 2025

NBA Finals Ratings Up Again in Game 4 but Still Down Overall

More than nine million people watched Games 3 and 4.
Thunder
June 16, 2025

NBA, ABC Air Finals Lineup Intros After Fan Complaints

ABC aired player intros for the first time in 12 years Monday.