This year’s college football playoff semifinals were exciting, tense and drew ratings. According to Nielsen, the number of viewers increased 28 percent over last year’s CFP semifinals. ESPN averaged about 21.7 million viewers for the Peach Bowl between Georgia and Ohio State, and the Fiesta Bowl between TCU and Michigan. It is the highest audience for the CFP semifinals in five years.
College football playoff semifinals draw huge viewing numbers
College football is back in ratings and that should make ESPN happy. College football playoff games between Georgia vs. Ohio State, and TCU vs. Michigan generated an average of 21.7 million viewers. The Peach Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl were close encounters that produced epic endings. This likely contributed to last season’s 28 percent increase in viewership.
According to Nielsen’s Fast National figures, these are the best viewership figures for the CFP semi-finals in five years.
The Peach Bowl between Georgia and Ohio State averaged 22.1 million viewers. The game ended with a missed Ohio State field goal, and as the clock struck midnight, Georgia emerged victorious 42-41. The peak audience in that game was 23.9 million viewers.
In TCU’s 51-45 upset victory over Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl, the game averaged 21.4 million viewers. Its peak viewership came around 8 pm EST when there were 26.4 million viewers.
21.4 million viewers tuned in to watch @TCUFootball defeat Michigan in the @Fiesta_Bowl and advance to the National Championship ????
???? Peaked at 26.4 million viewers???? Third most watched evening semifinal of the CFP era???? Sixth best #CFBPlayoff Semifinal of the CFP era pic.twitter.com/HIfBGJBl3n
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) January 2, 2023
The two games were the most watched CFP semi-finals not played on New Year’s Day of all time. Exciting endings and an annoying alert likely created higher viewership figures for Disney’s ESPN stations. Since the College Football Playoff began in 2014, these were the third most watched semifinal games.
TCU will face Georgia for the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 9. That game will air on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST. ESPN hopes the quarterback matchup between Max Duggan and Stetson Bennett can draw just as impressive numbers.
