ESPN announces Alabama-Georgia was network's most-watched regular season game since 2017
Alabama and Georgia‘s game on Saturday over-delivered and was immediately an instant classic given the roller-coaster swing as the Bulldogs rallied from a 28-point deficit to take the lead before the Crimson Tide responded to secure a signature 41-34 win in Tuscaloosa.
Saturday’s game also over-delivered from a viewership standpoint, with ESPN announcing Tuesday that Georgia and Alabama’s matchup reached 12 million viewers. That peaked at 14.1 million viewers to become ESPN’s most-streamed regular season college football game ever and the most watched regular season primetime game on any network since 2017.
The SEC’s triple-header on ABC also had a strong day at large with the matchups that proceeded Alabama and Georgia’s thriller. Kentucky‘s 20-17 upset win over Ole Miss serving as the most-watched noon game of the day with 4 million viewers and a peak viewership of 6.5 million viewers. That was followed by Oklahoma‘s 27-21 comeback win against Auburn in the afternoon hitting 5 million viewers and peaking at 6.9 million viewers to represent the most-watched game of afternoon window.
The 10-year deal between the SEC and ESPN is already paying off in a major way for the conference and the network in its first year. As analysts and audience members across the country have already tabbed the game between the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide as one of the best in recent history.
“Everything I love about college football happened that game,” Joel Klatt said. “The environment was incredible, the individual performances were incredible, and we got two teams I think could win the national championship.”
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Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe helped the Crimson Tide get out to an early 28-0 lead and ended the night with 374 passing yards with two touchdowns along with 117 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. But Georgia quarterback Carson Beck helped man an incredible Bulldogs comeback after finding Dillon Bell on a 67-yard touchdown connection to take their first lead of the game.
Alabama immediately erased the Bulldogs’ 34-33 lead in one play when Milroe found 17-year-old true freshman Ryan Williams on a 75-yard touchdown pass that featured a dazzling catch and a poetic spin move that will be remembered for a long time in Tuscaloosa and beyond.
“It was just an incredible moment, it was one of the greatest moments we’ve seen in sports history,” Stephen A. Smith said about Williams’ catch.
ABC’s SEC triple-header this Saturday starts with Missouri taking on Texas A&M at noon ET followed by Auburn visiting Georgia and Tennessee versus Arkansas.