The SEC, and the state of Mississippi in particular, was the top college football attraction of week nine.
The Mississippi/LSU college football game drew a 3.3 overnight rating on ESPN Saturday night, up 18% from UCLA/Oregon last year (2.8) and up 74% from Mississippi State/Alabama in 2012 (1.9). The 3.3 ranks as the highest overnight of the season on ESPN, topping the previous high of 3.1 for Tennessee/Georgia in Week 6.
The 3.3 also tied the weekend’s highest college football overnight on any network, matching another game featuring the Magnolia State.
Mississippi State/Kentucky on CBS drew a 3.3 overnight, up 18% from Tennessee/Alabama last year (2.8) but down 28% from Florida/Georgia in 2012 (4.6). Five times in seven weeks this season, the SEC on CBS has earned or tied the week’s highest college football overnight.
The SEC games both topped Big Ten competition head-to-head. The Mississippi State’s win on CBS topped Michigan/Michigan State on ABC by 32% (2.5), and Mississippi’s upset loss to LSU edged Ohio State/Penn State on ABC (3.1).
Though the SEC topped its competition on Saturday, the numbers were not exactly massive. The 3.3 overnight is the lowest for the top game of any week this season, reports Sports Media Watch.