Notre Dame-Wisconsin game produces monster ratings on FOX

Saturday’s game between Notre Dame and Wisconsin was a big win for FOX, bringing big ratings to the broadcasting giant. According to The Athletic’s Matt Fortuna, the game had 5,369,000 viewers, up 20 percent over Fox’s 2019 Big Ten Saturday average of 4,457,000.

Fortuna also reports that the game did well at Neilson, producing a 3.5/12 rating. The first number (3.5) represents the total percentage of households with a television which tuned into the game. The second (12) represents the percentage of households which had their television on at the time of the game.

The top 25 showdown looked to be a battle for the first three quarters, before the Fighting Irish offense exploded in the fourth quarter and took a 41-13 lead before the final whistle. After Wisconsin took a three-point lead with 14:14 remaining, Notre Dame scored 31 straight and ran away with the win.

The big ratings also come in part thanks to the storylines involved in Notre Dame-Wisconsin game. Former Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan, who lost his job to Graham Mertz, took the starting job at Notre Dame this season. In addition, Brian Kelly walked away with a new record, passing Notre Dame legend Knute Rockne for most wins at 106.

When you put all these interesting stories inside historic Solder Field, it is sure to draw a big audience.

Notre Dame sets date for 2022 Shamrock Series

Notre Dame recently announced the date of their 2021 showdown in Las Vegas. The Fighting Irish and BYU will head to Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders and UNLV Rebels, on Oct. 8, 2022, in a battle of two independents (BYU will not yet be a member of the Big 12) with international fanbases.

The Shamrock Series is a collection of neutral site games which Notre Dame plays across the country in an effort to travel to their fans all over the United States. It is also a recruiting tool for a school that relies heavily on recruits outside of the Midwest.

Notre Dame has not lost a Shamrock Series game in its long history. The Fighting Irish are 10-0, including the 41-13 fourth quarter win over Wisconsin on Saturday.

Previous destinations for Shamrock Series games include Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park and the Alamodome. In addition to the unconventional sites, they have visited the NFL stadiums of the Washington Football Team, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.