The inaugural weekend of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) provided an intriguing case study in sports viewership, pitting college football directly against the NFL’s regular season slate. While the CFP enjoyed respectable ratings, drawing an average of 10.6 million viewers across its first-round games—a figure exceeding all but four college games this season—it was decisively outmatched by the NFL’s viewership dominance. This head-to-head competition highlighted the enduring power of professional football and underscored the challenges facing even a revamped and expanded college playoff system.
The clash of titans unfolded most dramatically on Saturday, December 30th. Two CFP games aired concurrently with NFL matchups, resulting in a clear victory for the professional league. The SMU-Penn State game, which kicked off at noon ET, drew an average of 6.4 million viewers. However, the overlapping Kansas City Chiefs-Houston Texans NFL game, beginning an hour later, captured a significantly larger audience of 15.5 million viewers. Later that afternoon, the trend continued as the Clemson-Texas CFP game, despite drawing a respectable 8.6 million viewers, was overshadowed by the Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens NFL matchup, which garnered an average of 15.4 million viewers.
The disparity in viewership becomes even more striking when examining the CFP games that didn’t face direct competition from the NFL. The Indiana-Notre Dame game, the very first contest of the new 12-team format, aired on Friday night and averaged a healthy 13.4 million viewers. Similarly, the Tennessee-Ohio State game, the lone Saturday CFP matchup without an overlapping NFL broadcast, pulled in an impressive 14.3 million viewers. This data suggests that while the CFP possesses considerable drawing power, it struggles to compete when forced to share the stage with the NFL.
The NFL’s enduring appeal stems from a confluence of factors. Its established star power, the inherent drama of professional competition, and the widespread familiarity of its teams contribute to its consistent viewership. Furthermore, the NFL has cultivated a highly effective marketing and broadcasting machine that maximizes its reach and engagement with fans. The league’s weekly schedule, featuring a limited number of high-stakes games, creates a sense of urgency and importance that drives viewership.
The challenge for college football, and the CFP in particular, is to carve out a distinct space within the crowded sports landscape. The expansion to a 12-team format was designed, in part, to generate increased interest and viewership. While the early returns are promising, with the first round delivering strong ratings overall, the competition with the NFL reveals the limitations of even a significantly expanded playoff system.
Looking ahead, the scheduling conflict between college football and the NFL is likely to persist. The upcoming weekend features another slate of bowl games coinciding with three NFL matchups. This continued overlap presents both a challenge and an opportunity for college football. It will need to strategically position its games and leverage its unique appeal – the passion of college fan bases, the compelling storylines of underdog teams, and the excitement of bowl season – to capture a larger share of the viewing audience. The success of bowl games like the Pop-Tarts Bowl (Iowa State vs. Miami) and the Alamo Bowl (Colorado vs. BYU), featuring high-profile draft prospects, will be a key indicator of college football’s ability to compete in this crowded landscape. The competition for viewers underscores the evolving dynamics of the sports media landscape and the need for both college football and the NFL to adapt and innovate to maintain their audience share.
