Ole Miss and LSU delivered the kind of Saturday night ABC wanted, and the numbers showed it.
The Rebels’ 32-24 win over LSU - a game that included Lane Kiffin’s long-awaited return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium - drew an average of 10.9 million viewers, ESPN announced Tuesday. That made it the most-watched game of the week. The broadcast climbed as high as 13.7 million viewers and, according to ESPN, landed as the eighth-highest-rated regular-season broadcast of the decade across the network’s family of channels.
The game had the spotlight from the start, and Ole Miss made sure it stayed there by building a big lead before holding off LSU down the stretch.
Alabama’s 50-36 win over Florida State also pulled a strong audience on ABC, even though the telecast started later than scheduled and then hit a weather delay just before halftime in the Tuscaloosa area. Because of the overlap with Ole Miss-LSU, the broadcast shifted to ESPN2. ESPN said that game averaged seven million viewers and peaked at eight million.
Saturday’s other ESPN windows also brought in solid numbers. Kentucky’s upset of Texas A&M at Kyle Field averaged 5.4 million viewers and peaked at 8.1 million.
Georgia’s win at Arkansas on ABC averaged four million viewers, with a peak of 4.8 million. Clemson’s victory over North Carolina on ESPN, another game affected by weather, drew 3.6 million viewers and reached 4.7 million at its high point.
Week 4 brings another loaded slate, with 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...
UNC Suddenly Faces A QB Decision That Could Define The Season
The bye week arrived at a useful time for North Carolina, because the conversation around the offense changed fast after the 28-20 loss to Clemson. Billy Edwards Jr. had a rough afternoon through the air, finishing 13 of 30 for 135 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while the defense faded after halftime and left the Tar Heels chasing the game. In a season where every small edge matters, the quarterback spot has suddenly become one of the most consequential decisions on the table.
A change is at least being discussed internally, and the timing makes sense with a break in the schedule to reset before the next stretch of difficult games. Still, this is not a simple plug-and-play call, and the context around the offense suggests any move could be premature if the staff believes the bigger issues go beyond one position. For now, UNC has a week to sort through whether it needs a new answer under center or simply a better version of the one it already has. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Got An Eligibility Boost With Bigger Questions Ahead
A court ruling out of Indiana has given North Carolina football kicker Rece Verhoff and three Tar Heels field hockey players a temporary path back to competition, restoring a fifth season of eligibility while the broader legal fight plays out. The decision also covers Ryleigh Heck, Sietske Brning and Dani Mendez, and it comes as part of a challenge to the NCAAs new age-based eligibility model for athletes in the high school Class of 2022.
For UNC, the immediate effect is simple enough: the athletes are allowed to return during the 2026-27 academic year if they choose to keep going. The bigger issue is still unresolved, though, because the injunction only addresses eligibility for now and leaves the larger question of how the NCAAs new standard will hold up in court hanging over players who thought their college timelines were already set. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Already Has 3 Breakout Stars Fans Need To Notice
North Carolinas 2-1 start has given the Tar Heels a little breathing room heading into their Week 4 bye, and it has also surfaced a few names worth keeping on the radar. The early buzz starts up front with defensive tackle Lewis, who has been a major force in the pass rush despite the team dealing with injuries around him, while linebacker Seelmann has quickly made his presence felt after arriving from Richmond and settling into a bigger role.
On the offensive side, tight end Thurman has stepped into the mix at an important time after the injury to projected starter Jaxxon Warren, becoming a more reliable part of the passing game. For a team still sorting out its identity this early in the season, those kinds of breakout performances matter because they can help stabilize both sides of the ball while the Tar Heels use the bye week to reset and prepare for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]