If you tuned in to watch Indiana take down Miami in the national championship game, you were in good company-about 30 million strong, in fact.
According to ESPN, the Hoosiers’ 27-21 victory over the Hurricanes averaged 30.1 million viewers across their platforms, with a peak audience of 33.2 million. That’s not just a big number-it’s historic. It marks the second most-watched College Football Playoff title game ever and stands as the most-watched college football game since the 2014-15 season, when the Playoff format first kicked off.
To put that into perspective: in an era of fractured viewership and endless entertainment options, pulling in over 30 million people for a college football game is a massive win-not just for Indiana or Miami, but for the sport itself. This wasn’t just a championship game; it was a cultural moment.
The broadcast lineup was stacked. Chris Fowler was on the call for ESPN’s main feed, alongside Kirk Herbstreit providing analysis, with Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath reporting from the sidelines.
Meanwhile, ESPN leaned all the way into its multi-platform coverage. Pat McAfee headlined the "Field Pass" broadcast on ESPN2, bringing his signature energy and a more casual, fan-centric vibe.
ESPNU offered a "Skycast" view-great for fans who like to see the game unfold from an all-22 angle-while ESPN News featured a "Command Center" broadcast packed with stats and real-time analysis.
This kind of coverage reflects how big the moment was. Indiana-yes, Indiana-winning a national title isn’t something college football fans are used to seeing.
But the numbers say it all: people showed up to watch history. And with viewership rivaling some of the biggest moments in recent sports memory-like Game 7 of the 2016 World Series-this game didn’t just belong to college football fans.
It belonged to the entire sports world.
For Indiana, it was a night to remember. For the sport, it was a reminder of just how powerful a great game, a compelling storyline, and a national stage can be.