Overview
- The four CFP first-round games averaged 9.9 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, TNT, TBS and truTV, down from 10.6 million last year, according to ESPN and Nielsen.
- Alabama–Oklahoma averaged 14.9 million and Miami–Texas A&M drew 14.8 million without NFL competition, with Alabama–Oklahoma setting a first‑round record for the playoff era.
- Tulane–Ole Miss averaged 6.2 million and Oregon–James Madison drew 4.4 million on TNT/TBS/truTV during blowouts, with Oregon–JMU marking the lowest CFP audience on record.
- Fox’s NFL doubleheader dominated the overlapping windows, as Eagles–Commanders averaged 15.5 million and Packers–Bears hit 21.3 million, far outpacing the CFP games on cable.
- ESPN continues to sublicense select CFP games to Warner Bros. Discovery, which will add two quarterfinals and one semifinal next season under the existing arrangement.