Ole Miss’s 32-24 win over LSU didn’t just deliver a big moment in Oxford. It delivered a massive audience for ESPN.
The network said Tuesday that the ABC telecast averaged 10.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched game of the week across ESPN’s family of networks. The matchup peaked at 13.7 million viewers and, according to ESPN, ranked as the eighth-highest-rated regular-season broadcast of the decade on the network family.
The game had plenty of juice before kickoff, with Lane Kiffin making his long-awaited return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Ole Miss built a sizable lead and then had to fend off LSU down the stretch to come away with the win.
Elsewhere on ESPN’s Saturday slate, Alabama’s 50-36 win over Florida State drew 7 million viewers and peaked at 8 million. That ABC broadcast started later than scheduled and was interrupted just before halftime by weather in the Tuscaloosa area before eventually moving to ESPN2 because of the Ole Miss-LSU game.
Kentucky’s upset of Texas A&M at Kyle Field also delivered a strong number, averaging 5.4 million viewers and peaking at 8.1 million. Georgia’s win at Arkansas on ABC averaged 4 million viewers and peaked at 4.8 million, while Clemson’s win over North Carolina on ESPN, another weather-affected broadcast, averaged 3.6 million and peaked at 4.7 million.
Week 4 brings another busy lineup: Texas at Tennessee at noon, Ole Miss at Florida Louisville at noon, Oklahoma at Georgia at 3:30, and South Carolina at Alabama at 7:00.
In Other News...
LSU Football Now Faces A Serious Off Field Case Beyond Campus
A criminal investigation now hangs over LSU football after East Baton Rouge prosecutors confirmed they are reviewing an alleged sexual assault involving a Tigers player and a student on campus in October 2025. The district attorneys office has already requested reports and evidence from multiple agencies, adding an off-field case to a program that is usually measured by what happens under the lights on Saturdays.
LSU said it went through its Title IX process after the incident was first reported by the student-athlete and added that it is cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues. For a team that already lives under constant scrutiny, the next steps in the legal review may matter as much as anything happening in practice, with the university and prosecutors now moving on parallel tracks. [Read more 🡒]
Ty Benefield Put LSUs Defense On Notice Before Texas A&M
After LSUs loss to Ole Miss, Ty Benefield was one of the defenders asked to help frame what comes next as the Tigers turn toward a key SEC matchup with Texas A&M. The safety spoke to reporters with a focus on discipline and response, making it clear the standard on defense has to hold even as the season keeps testing the group. He also voiced confidence in the teammates around him, a small but important sign that the room still believes its best football is ahead.
Benefields comments were especially notable because LSU is still sorting through adjustments tied to injuries, which has put added pressure on the players available right now. He described a next-play mentality and explained what drives him to compete in Baton Rouge, a reminder that the message inside the building is as much about resolve as it is about correction. With Texas A&M up next, LSUs defense will need both. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen A. Smith Just Gave LSU Fans A New Lane Kiffin Debate
A setback in a big game was enough to stir the conversation again around LSU and Lane Kiffin, and Stephen A. Smith added a fresh jolt to it on ESPNs First Take. Smith said Kiffin deserves credit for restoring LSUs national relevance, a notable endorsement for a coach who has already made the Tigers a constant topic in the sports weekly debate.
Smith did not ignore the uneasy start, either, pointing to the early deficit that had LSU fans gripping the moment before the team battled back to tie the game. Even with that comeback in the mix, the conversation around Kiffin is far from settled, especially with Paul Finebaum still firmly in the opposing camp. [Read more 🡒]