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The viewership of college football has grown over the years as the sport continues to penetrate more and more American homes.
The 2023 season has undoubtedly presented an astonishing level of excitement for television audiences and helped build the rating of the sport. While some teams only recorded sizable viewership in 2023, a couple of top programs were in front of the national eye all through.
Here are the five college football teams that recorded the best television ratings in 2023, according to Nielsen. The rating excludes conference network games.
Five most-watched college football teams in 2023
#1 Alabama
Despite the early loss to Texas in Week 2, Alabama had a brilliant season in 2023. That's thanks to the rise of Jalen Milroe, who struggled significantly early in the season.
The Crimson Tide had an average of 7.12 million viewers per game in the 2023 season across 11 rated games by Nielsen. Nick Saban’s team played a couple of top games this season against the likes of LSU, Texas, Tennessee and Georgia in the SEC title game.
#2 Michigan
Michigan entered the 2023 college football season with a lot of anticipation having ended the previous regular season unbeaten. The Wolverines lived up to the hype with a brilliant outing.
Amid a couple of scandals and alleged NCAA infractions, the red-hot Wolverines averaged 7.11 million viewers per game in the 10 matchups featured on Nielsen rating in 2023.
The team played the likes of Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota and Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game.
#3 Ohio State
Ohio State was one of the teams expected to deliver strong performance this season following a strong 2022 campaign. A final-day loss to Michigan was the only blemish in their season.
The Buckeyes recorded an average of 7.04 million viewers per game in the nine games rated by Nielsen this season. In a year that almost ended with an unbeaten record, Ohio State played teams like Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan and Minnesota, among others
#4 Colorado
Colorado became a sensation this season after the arrival of Deion Sanders. The legendary NFL cornerback brought a significant level of attention to the program.
In the nine games rated by Nielsen in 2023, the Buffaloes averaged six million viewers per game. The team could have ranked higher except for their awful performances in conference plays. Colorado played teams like TCU, Oregon, USC, Utah and Arizona, among others.
#5 Georgia
All eyes were on Georgia at the start of the 2023 college football season, as the Bulldogs hoped to win the national championship for the third consecutive season.
While the bid to achieve the historic feat failed, the program averaged 5.9 million viewers per game in the 11 matchups rated by Nielsen. The Bulldogs squared up against the likes of Auburn, Kentucky, Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Alabama in the SEC title game.
