Fox Sports experienced an incredible surge in viewer ratings recently. The Wolverines’ epic 45-23 victory over the Buckeyes averaged 17 million viewers, peaking at nearly 20 million viewers at key points of the match.
.@FOXSports' record-breaking weekend continues!
Michigan-Ohio State was the most-watched regular season CFB game EVER on FOX with 17 million viewers
– Most-watched regular season CFB game on any net since 2011
– Peaked at 19.6 million viewers
– Up +3% over 2021's matchup on FOX pic.twitter.com/DdZglhNJqP— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) November 27, 2022
The game is praised as the most-watched regular-season college football game since 2011, making it the most popular College Football (CFB) game aired on Fox.
Michigan bagged their second consecutive victory against the Buckeyes, securing their place for the Big Ten title against Purdue the following weekend.
Regardless of the outcome against the Boilermakers – even if it transpires as a colossal upset – Michigan is well-positioned to advance to the College Football Playoff for the second time in a row.
Michigan Ohio face-off had been the most anticipated game of the season, with both teams entering the regular-season finale undefeated.
The impact of the game’s outcome hit Ohio State hard as the team tumbled down three places from No. 2 to No. 5 in the AP Top 25 following their loss.
This fallout will likely relegate them outside the top four in the critical College Football Playoff rankings released on Tuesday.
The substantial audience attracted by this rivalry validates why networks like Fox are eager to invest heavily in Big Ten rights.
It substantiates their strategic decision to schedule the most significant game of the week at noon ET. The Big Ten will soon have lucrative TV contracts with Fox, CBS, and NBC, amounting to $7 billion from July onwards.
Interestingly, this shift signifies the end of the Big Ten’s longstanding association with ESPN.
Looking towards the future, once USC and UCLA become a part of the Big Ten in 2024, the conference will feature TV slots on Fox at noon ET, CBS at 3:30 p.m., and finally on NBC during prime time.
