College football thrives on tradition, but the introduction of NIL and the far-reaching impacts of conference realignment are shaking the sport at its foundation. Power conference head coaches are even fleeing for assistant jobs, due in part to the new recruiting landscape dominated by name, image, and likeness deals.
But one constant in college football is the presence of suspenseful, classic games that bring fans to the edge of their seats. When schools with massive fan bases collide, the result is usually record ratings.
The most-watched college football game in U.S. television history is the 2006 Rose Bowl, which was watched on television 35.6 million viewers. Texas defeated top-ranked USC 41-38 in a thrilling showdown that awarded them the national championship.
Texas, a seven-point underdog, was led by quarterback Vince Young on a game-winning touchdown drive with nineteen seconds left. The game was tight throughout, and recorded a 21.7 Nielsen rating.
The 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship drew 34.1 million American viewers, good for second-most in college football history. Ohio State and Oregon matched up in the inaugural national title game under the new playoff format.
Third is the 2010 Rose Bowl matchup between Alabama and Texas, which attracted 30.78 million American viewers. It was the ninth all-time meeting between the two powerhouse programs.
In that Rose Bowl, the Tide rolled over the Longhorns 37-21 with Mark Ingram winning offensive MVP and Marcell Dareus winning defensive MVP. Alabama won its 13th national championship in school history and Nick Saban picked up his second title as a coach.
The 1998 Rose Bowl between Michigan and Washington St. was the only non-title game to make the list. That game drew 29 million viewers as Michigan narrowly defeated Washington State 19-16.
The Orange Bowl featured three games among the most-watched college football games, the most of any bowl game. The three games averaged 29.47 million viewers and all took place in the 90s.
Ranking The Most Watched College Football Games
Here is the list of the top 10 most-watched college football games based on reported viewership in the United States. The list was compiled using historical data from SportsMediaWatch and Nielsen.
- Updated: July 16, 2024
| Ranking | Year | Results | Matchup | Reported U.S. Viewership |
| 1 | 2006 | Texas (41) vs USC (38) | Rose Bowl – BCS National Championship game | 35.6 million |
| 2 | 2015 | Ohio St (42) vs Oregon (20) | College Football Playoff National Championship | 34.1 million |
| 3 | 2010 | Alabama (37) vs Texas (21) | BCS National Championship game | 30.8 million |
| 4 | 1993 | Alabama (34) vs Miami (13) | Sugar Bowl – BCS National Championship game | 30.1 million |
| 5 | 1995 | Nebraska (24) vs Miami (17) | Orange Bowl – National Championship game | 30 million |
| 6 | 1991 | Colorado (10) vs Notre Dame (9) | Orange Bowl – National Championship game | 29.6 million |
| 7 | 2003 | Ohio St (31) vs Miami (24) | Fiesta Bowl – BCS National Championship game | 29.1 million |
| 8 | 1998 | Michigan (21) vs Washington St (16) | Rose Bowl | 29 million |
| 9 | 1994 | Florida St (18) vs Nebraska (16) | Orange Bowl – National Championship game | 28.8 million |
| 10 | 2007 | Florida (41) vs Ohio St (14) | BCS National Championship game | 28.8 million |
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