The final Pac-12 Championship Game was just that, a performance so electrifying that it set record-breaking ratings.
Final Pac-12 Championship Game puts up monster ratings numbers https://t.co/DZPpstR3mx pic.twitter.com/6yFFGxHiDk
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 3, 2023
The Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks escalated the adrenaline like never before, and to sweeten the victory, Michael Penix Jr.
alongside his troop of Huskies outperformed Bo Nix’s Ducks in a riveting match, settling a 34-31 victory.
The heightened stakes of the game, the realization that this was Pac-12’s final championship, or the thrilling showdown (possibly all three factors) whipped up an unusual viewership storm.
According to Nielsen Fast Nationals, the game attracted an average of 9.2 million viewers, stamping its legacy as the most-watched Pac-12 Championship Game in history.
Friday night, @ABCNetwork delivered the most-watched @pac12 Championship Game 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 with 9.2M viewers tuning in for @oregonfootball 🆚 @UW_Football 🏆
🏈 Audience was up 47% over '22
🏈 #Pac12FB peaked at 11.1M viewers from 11:30-11:45p ET*Based on Nielsen Fast Nationals pic.twitter.com/zExxl6ky2l
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) December 2, 2023
The audience reached a crescendo between 11:30 and 11:45 p.m. ET, touching the 11.1 million mark as suspense regarding the Huskies’ victory enticed more viewers.
The 2023 championship narrative was far more compelling than the 2022 championship between Utah and USC, broadcasted on Fox, accumulating only 6.2 million viewers.
The 2023 title game also dwarfed the 2021 matchup between Oregon and Utah, which averaged 4.2 million viewers on ESPN.
The eventual termination notwithstanding, it indeed turned out to be a triumphant year for Pac-12 football.
Reports from Sports Media Watch highlight that four out of the 18 most-watched college football games of the season were Pac-12 games.
This achievement ties up the SEC conference, another testimonial to Pac-12’s excellence and popularity.
Colorado’s impressive start to the season also contributed to the excitement, as did Washington
and Oregon’s consistent presence in the title hunt.
