Week 7 brought the chaos on the field, but the ratings race still produced one clear headliner: Ohio State vs. Indiana.
FOX’s showdown between the top-five teams pulled in an estimated 10.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched college football game of the week, according to On3 and Nielsen Big Data + Panel Data. The next-biggest draw also came from outside the SEC, with ABC’s night window featuring BYU and Notre Dame bringing in 9.2 million viewers.
The SEC still showed up strong in the numbers, starting with Alabama and Tennessee. Their matchup led the conference’s viewership list at 8.1 million viewers.
Florida’s upset of Texas landed fourth overall at 4.7 million, while Auburn’s upset of previously No. 1 Georgia came in seventh with approximately 3.5 million viewers.
The Big Ten had a huge week on the ratings front. Along with the Ohio State-Indiana game sitting at No.
1, Penn State and Michigan drew 4.5 million viewers on CBS, good for fifth on the week. Wisconsin and Purdue checked in at No. 8 with 2.6 million viewers, and Nebraska vs.
Oregon followed at No. 9 with 2.5 million.
The ACC’s biggest number came from Miami’s double-overtime thriller with Florida State, which drew 3.6 million viewers on ESPN and ranked sixth. The Big 12 was represented twice in the top 10, with BYU in the No. 2 spot and Arizona State vs. Texas Tech rounding out the list at about 2.5 million viewers.
After a wild Week 7, Week 8 is shaping up to be lighter on marquee matchups. Six of the top 25 teams are off, and there are only two top-25 games on the schedule, down from six the previous week. Ole Miss is traveling to Texas on ABC, and Houston is set to face Utah on ESPN.
In Other News...
BYU Backfield Suddenly Has A New Spotlight At UCF
A familiar spot in BYUs offense is suddenly up for grabs heading into the UCF game, and Sione Moa is back in the mix at just the right time. After working his way back from a knee injury, Moa has been cleared to play, giving the Cougars another option as they try to sort through the backfield picture on the road.
The challenge, of course, is that BYU still does not have its top runner available. LJ Martin remains sidelined with an ankle injury and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks, which leaves the Cougars leaning on Moa and the other backs to carry more of the load. For a team heading into a tough conference matchup, the timing could hardly be more important. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs No. 2 Rise Says Everything About Its Portal Impact
Midway through the 2026 season, BYU is sitting at 6-0 and ranked No. 2, a position that speaks as much to roster-building as it does to results on the field. The Cougars have gotten meaningful help from the transfer portal, with tight end Walker Lyons and left tackle Paki Finau quickly becoming important pieces, while receiver Kyler Kasper has helped steady the passing game after the program lost top-end production at receiver.
For a team that has climbed into the national conversation this quickly, the portal additions have done more than fill gaps. They have given BYU a sturdier foundation and a more complete offense, which is part of why the Cougars have been able to keep winning while still sorting out what this stretch of success means over the long haul. The bigger question now is how far this mix can carry them once the season reaches its most demanding phase. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Heads To UCF With Everything Suddenly Feeling On The Line
The Notre Dame win gave BYU a surge of momentum, but it also sharpened the stakes around what comes next. A trip to UCF now feels like more than a routine Big 12 road game, because the Cougars are carrying the kind of record that can put the College Football Playoff and the conference title game within reach if they keep handling business.
An 11-1 finish is being viewed as the threshold for making a serious playoff case, which means the margin for error is suddenly thin. A loss in Orlando would not end BYUs season, but it would make the path much narrower and put a lot more pressure on everything that follows. [Read more 🡒]