While Week 13 of the college football season experienced a slight decline in overall television viewership, several prominent matchups continued to attract substantial audiences, according to Nielsen data by On3.
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) maintained its strong viewership, though a notable shift was observed within the Big 12. Specifically, a Colorado game featuring Deion Sanders recorded its first viewership figure below one million during his tenure. This can be attributed to several factors.
The Buffaloes (3-8) have secured only one conference victory this season, with the team demonstrating challenges on both offense and defense. All three quarterbacks have started in 2025, not due to injury, but in an effort to establish consistency in the first season without Coach Prime directly guiding his son, Shedeur, who made his professional debut last Sunday for the Cleveland Browns.
This decline is not limited to television ratings; attendance figures have also decreased. The recent loss to Arizona State, for instance, saw thousands of seats unfilled.
Nationally, the top-rated broadcast was the Texas Longhorns versus Arkansas Razorbacks game, which aired on ABC on November 22 at 3:30 p.m. ET, drawing an average audience of 5.6 million viewers. This matchup featured a standout performance by freshman quarterback Arch Manning in Texas’ 52-37 victory.
Closely following was the afternoon contest between the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans on CBS, also in the 3:30 p.m. ET slot, which garnered 5.43 million viewers. The Ducks’ win significantly strengthened their College Football Playoff aspirations, while likely delivering a critical blow to USC's chances.
The Missouri Tigers at Oklahoma Sooners game, broadcast on ABC at noon ET, attracted 5.37 million viewers, making it the third-highest-rated game of the week. In prime time, the Tennessee Volunteers’ triumph over the Florida Gators drew 4.8 million viewers on ABC, highlighting the enduring appeal of SEC rivalries.
Other notable entries in the top 10 included the Ohio State Buckeyes' game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on FOX, which achieved 4.1 million viewers. The Penn State Nittany Lions versus Nebraska Cornhuskers contest on NBC drew 3.1 million, and other games such as BYU Cougars at Cincinnati Bearcats (2.6 million), Florida State Seminoles at NC State Wolfpack (2.1 million), Pittsburgh Panthers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2.0 million), and Miami Hurricanes at Virginia Tech Hokies (1.9 million) completed the list.
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