Alabama-Georgia instant classic delivers best regular-season primetime ratings in years
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Alabama-Georgia, with both teams ranked in the top 5, in primetime no less, was a ratings gift from the college football gods for ESPN, as the showdown from Tuscaloosa drew 12 million viewers on ABC.
It was the most-watched, regular-season primetime game on any network since 2017. It also was ESPN’s most-streamed regular-season college football game on record. That means ever. That’s how much this game between longtime SEC behemoths resonated with the country, as the college football world watched the Crimson Tide score late to topple the Bulldogs and prevent a late collapse in a 41-34 victory.
At its peak, Alabama-Georgia drew 14.1 million viewers on ABC.
Last Saturday’s @SEC on ABC tripleheader won the week with #UGAvsALA becoming @ESPNCFB‘s best regular season game since ’17
@GeorgiaFootball vs @AlabamaFTBL | 12M viewers
@OU_Football vs @AuburnFootball | 5M viewers
@UKFootball vs @OleMissFB | 4M viewers pic.twitter.com/KeOCtxnqiF— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 1, 2024
But the Alabama-Georgia showdown wasn’t the only SEC ratings blockbuster last Saturday. The Oklahoma-Auburn matchup on the Plains drew 5 million viewers, with a peak of 6.9 million viewers, as it was the most-watched afternoon game of Week 5. The Sooners rallied to beat the Tigers, 27-21.
And in the noon slot last Saturday, Kentucky’s stunning 20-17 upset at Ole Miss drew 4 million viewers, with a peak of 6.5 million viewers. It was the highest-rated noon game of Week 5.
It would be hard to top that Week 5 trio in terms of ratings, but it’s the SEC, and so we’ll have to see what the mega-conference can produce in terms of viewership as the season progresses.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
