Overview
- ESPN and Nielsen reported a 30.1 million average and a 33.2 million peak for the national championship telecast.
- The game ranks as the second-most-watched CFP title matchup and the largest non-NFL U.S. sports audience since the 2016 World Series Game 7.
- Viewership rose 36% from last season’s Ohio State–Notre Dame final, which averaged 22.1 million.
- The 11-game College Football Playoff averaged 16.3 million viewers, up about 4% year over year, with strong quarterfinals, historically weak semifinals, and a championship rebound.
- Indiana beat Miami 27–21 to complete a 16–0 season, with late plays by Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza and Jamari Sharpe punctuating the finish.