College Football TV Ratings: Top 20 most-watched games through Week 6

With NIL and the transfer portal bringing parity plus College Football Playoff expansion, this year has turned out to be one of the most unique in college football history. Just last weekend, five top-25 teams lost to unranked programs.

On3 is looking at the most-watched games through the first six weeks of the college football season. On3 compiled the data from network press releases, Programming Insider and Sports Business Journal. Data from SEC Network, ACC Network and Longhorn Network are not included because the networks do not pay for Nielsen to measure viewership. All Nielsen figures include streaming viewership and includes out-of-home viewing.

Here is the full breakdown of college football’s most-watched games through the first six weeks:

1. Georgia at Alabama
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 11.98 million

The Georgia–Alabama top-five matchup lived up to the hype. The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 28-0 lead all for Georgia to rally and take a 34-33 lead late in the fourth quarter. Alabama true freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams spun past Georgia defenders for a 75-yard touchdown, putting the Tide up 41-34 for good. The game peaked at 14.1 million viewers, becoming ESPN’s most-streamed regular-season college football game ever and the most-watched regular-season prime-time game on any network since 2017.

2. Texas at Michigan
Channel: FOX
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 7 at Noon ET
Viewers: 9.35 million

FOX’s biggest win of the season was delivered on Big Noon Kickoff. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers threw 246 yards and three touchdowns, along with a 66.7 completion percentage. The 31-12 was a statement win for the Longhorns. Texas became the first school to beat Michigan and Alabama on the road in consecutive seasons since Notre Dame pulled off the feat in 1979 and 1980 with different quarterbacks, according to Sportradar.

3. LSU v. USC
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Sunday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 8.62 million

Miller Moss threw for 378 yards and a touchdown in the marquee matchup between USC and LSU. The Trojans escaped 27-20 on a Woody Marks touchdown run with eight seconds remaining. Moss out-dueled LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, who completed 29 of 38 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on the final drive.

4. Notre Dame at Texas A&M
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 7.92 million

Riley Leonard was 18 of 30 for 158 yards in Notre Dame’s win 23-13 win at Texas A&M, while also rushing for 63 yards. He completed two must-have passes on the game-winning drive: a nine-yard hookup with Jaden Greathouse on 3rd-and-5 and a 20-yard, contested completion to Beaux Collins. The Fighting Irish’s offensive line paved the way for 198 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Notre Dame averaged 5.8 yards per carry in the win over Texas A&M, too.

5. Clemson v. Georgia
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 at Noon ET
Viewers: 7.58 million

Carson Beck threw for 278 yards as Georgia cruised to a 34-3 Week 1 victory over Clemson. The Bulldogs led just 6-0 at halftime but rolled in the second half. Georgia held Clemson to 188 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs finished with 447 yards and 19 first downs in a win over their rival to open the season.

6. Georgia at Kentucky
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 14 at Noon ET
Viewers: 6.60 million

Georgia nearly lost on the road at Kentucky, entering the fourth quarter trailing 9-6. Branson Robinson rushed for a 3-yard, go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter to deliver a win for the Bulldogs. Kentucky was held without a touchdown for the second consecutive game.

7. Miami at Florida
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 6.35 million

 Former Washington State transfer Cam Ward got his first start at Miami, throwing for 385 yards and three touchdowns as Miami dominated Florida 41-17 to give coach Mario Cristobal a signature victory to kickoff Year Three with the Hurricanes. Ward became the first Miami QB since at least 1979 to throw for 300 yards in his first start with the team.

8. USC at Michigan
Channel: CBS
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 6.32 million

The most-watched game of Week 4, USC at Michigan was also the most-watched game at 3:30 p.m. ET Week 4 game for CBS in a decade. It’s also up 37% compared to last year’s Week 4 game in the slot, which was No. 15 Ole Miss at No. 13 Alabama. The game peaked with 10 million viewers. Paramount+ also delivered its most-streamed September college football game to date.

9. Tennessee at Oklahoma
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 6.27 million

Josh Heupel’s Oklahoma homecoming was the top prime-time game of Week 3, peaking at 7.5 million viewers. Tennessee won 25-15 to improve to 4-0. The Volunteers proved they can find multiple ways to win, forcing three turnovers and allowing just 222 total yards including only 36 yards on the ground.

10. Colorado at Nebraska
Channel: NBC
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 5.67 million

NBC’s decision to get involved in Big Ten media rights rewarded it with the primetime conference game of the week. Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns in a statement 28-10 win over Colorado. The Huskers sacked Shedeur Sanders five times and pressured him throughout while winning the final meeting of a four-game home-and-home series.

11. Tennessee at Arkansas
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 5.29 million

12. Oklahoma at Auburn
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 28 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 5.04 million

13. Alabama at Wisconsin
Channel: FOX
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 14 at Noon ET
Viewers: 5.03 million

14. Florida State v. Georgia Tech
Channel: ESPN
Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 24 at Noon ET
Viewers: 4.99 million

15. LSU at South Carolina
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: 
Viewers: 4.94 million

16. Auburn at Georgia
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 14 at Noon ET
Viewers: 4.93 million

17. Texas A&M at Florida
Channel: ABC
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 4.80 million

18. North Dakota State at Colorado
Channel: ESPN
Date/Time: Thursday, Aug. 29 at 8 p.m. ET
Viewers: 4.76 million

19. Iowa at Ohio State
Channel: CBS
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 4.46 million

20. Boston College at Florida State
Channel: ESPN
Date/Time: Monday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Viewers: 4.44 million