Scarlet Sunrise: Ohio State-Michigan most-watched regular season college football game since 2011

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Ohio State-Michigan most-watched regular season college football game since 2011

The Game didn’t go Ohio State’s way, as the Buckeyes lost to Michigan in Columbus for the first time since 2000, but the top-three matchup did numbers on TV. Fox Sports said Sunday that the game averaged 17 million viewers and at one point reached a peak of 19.6 million viewers. Not only was it the most-watched regular season college football game since 2011, but it was also the most-watched college football game on Fox. Ever.

This year’s Big Ten East rivalry clash saw a 3% increase in viewership compared to the 2021 edition, according to Fox Sports.

.@FOXSports' record-breaking weekend continues!

Michigan-Ohio State was the most-watched regular season CFB game EVER on FOX with 17 million viewers

– Most-watched regular season CFB game on any net since 2011
– Peaked at 19.6 million viewers
– Up +3% over 2021's matchup on FOX pic.twitter.com/DdZglhNJqP

— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) November 27, 2022

Four other college football games this season have drawn north of 10 million viewers, according to Yahoo! Sports.

• Tennessee-Georgia (CBS): averaged more than 13 million viewers
• Tennessee-Alabama (CBS): averaged more than 11.5 million viewers
• Alabama-Texas (FOX): averaged more than 10 million viewers
• Ohio State-Notre Dame (ABC): averaged more than 10 million viewers

Ohio State-Michigan kicked off at noon. Fox’s “Big Noon” was on site, and so was ESPN’s “College GameDay.” The Wolverines dominated the second half, outscoring Ohio State, 28-3, in the final two quarters en route to a 45-23 victory.

Buckeyes slide out of top three in AP Poll for first time this season

Ohio State had been the second-ranked team in the AP Top 25 for seven weeks in a row. That streak came to an end after Michigan won its second straight game against the Buckeyes this weekend — something the Wolverines hadn’t done since 1999-2000.

With the three-score loss, Ohio State slid out of the top three for the first time all season and landed at No. 5 behind USC, TCU, Michigan and Georgia (in that order).

Of course, what really matters at this point is where the College Football Playoff committee ranks Ohio State. The Buckeyes still have an outside shot at sneaking into the CFP if USC loses the Pac-12 Championship to Utah, the team that handed the Trojans their only loss in 2022.

For now, though, we only have the AP Top 25 to go off of.

Lettermen Row has the entire poll breakdown (Nov. 27) here, but this is a sneak peak:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. TCU
4. USC
5. Ohio State
6. Alabama
7. Tennessee

Coverage of Buckeyes embarrassing defeat, plus its aftermath

The narrative of The Game has shifted again. Led by head coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has won two in a row, and now Ohio State’s Ryan Day is just 1-2 against the Wolverines.

The Buckeyes spent this past offseason, as well as this fall, preparing for their rematch with Michigan. That’s why they revamped their defensive staff and stressed “toughness” all year. In the end, though — after a second-half implosion — Ohio State found itself on the wrong side of a similar defeat as last year’s snowy, 42-27 loss.

Lettermen Row had full coverage of Saturday’s game and its aftermath. Check it out here:

• First thoughts: Buckeyes melt in second half, suffer home beatdown in The Game
• Five Moments: Michigan embarrasses Buckeyes defense, wins in Columbus
• Rapid Reaction: Buckeyes dealt harsh rivalry reminder in second straight loss to Michigan
• WATCH: Ryan Day, Buckeyes press conference after loss to Michigan
• Photo Gallery: Ohio State crumbles in second half, falls to Michigan in The Game
• Five Ohio State stats that mattered in Michigan loss
• PFF grades, snap counts from Michigan game
• C.J. Stroud doesn’t have ‘immediate answer’ on playing in New Year’s Six bowl
• Buckeye Leafs: Strong performances by Emeka Egbuka, Tommy Eichenberg overshadowed in rivalry implosion
• Buckeyes stray from offensive identity in key moments of loss to Michigan
• Buckeyes defense fails biggest test, suffers familiar fate in rivalry
• Holbrook: Where do Buckeyes turn after second straight loss to Michigan?

Counting down

Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 363 days

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