Georgia crowned kings of college football as most-watched team

Georgia is the No. 2 seed in the upcoming College Football Playoff, but the Bulldogs are clearly No. 1 when it comes to TV viewership in 2024.

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Nielsen reported its first-ever rankings for total season average viewers this week, and the team that finished on top was Georgia by a significant margin.

The Bulldogs averaged 8.6 million viewers per game, drawing nearly two million more viewers than runner-up Ohio State (6.8 million). Alabama (6.6 million), Texas (6.4 million) and Tennesee (5.4 million) rounded out the top five.

SEC schools comprised four of the five next spots in the top 10. Following No. 6 Michigan (5.2 million) were Texas A&M (4.9 million), LSU (4.8 million), Kentucky (4.5 million) and Florida (4.3 million).

Georgia's showdown with Texas in Week 8 drew the biggest TV audience of the season with 13 million viewers. The Bulldogs' game against Alabama in Week 5 was watched by 12 million.

The Big Ten's most-watched game, not surprisingly, was the Michigan vs. Ohio State during rivalry week. The Wolverines' 13-10 upset of the Buckeyes was seen by 12 million viewers.

The Nielsen numbers reflect the deep passion for SEC football. They also underline the strong brands of Michigan and Ohio State.

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