I will keep updating this post when each week's results are added.

NOTES:

1. I'm not including G6 vs P4 games. Only G6/G6 games and G6/FCS games.
2. Does not include channels that do not report, like CBSSN, ACC Network, SEC Network, ESPN+, etc.)
   

CUSA games in bold

Week 0
Memphis @ UNLV 1.65 million (10:30 PM on FOX)

Week 1
UNLV @ Hawaii 417K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Wyoming @ Colorado St 239K (Sat 6PM on USA)
Liberty @ JMU 189K (Sat Noon on ESPN U)
Portland St @ San Diego St 90K (Sat 9:30 PM on USA)
Central Michigan @ New Mexico 90K (Sat 10PM on FS1)

Week 2
UTSA @ Texas St 370K (Sat 3:45 on CW)
Memphis @ Boise St 337K (Sat 6PM on USA)
Montana St @ Nevada 303K (Sat 10:30 PM on CW)
NDSU @ Air Force 235K (Sat 10PM on FS1)
App St @ ECU 188K (Sat noon on ESPN U)
UNLV @ North Texas 94K (Sat 3:45 on ESPN U)
Navy @ FAU 48K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPN U)

Week 3
NDSU @ Sac St 450K (Sat 10:40 PM on ESPN)
Montana @ Oregon St 258K (Sat 11PM on USA)
North Texas @ Texas St 210K (Sat Noon on USA)
JMU @ San Diego St 189K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Fresno St @ San Jose St 174K (Sat 11PM on FS1)
Duquesne @ Washington St 158K (Sat 3:51 PM on USA)

Week 4
Navy @ UAB 1.19 Million (Fri 7:20 PM on ESPN)
Army @ Temple 799K (Friday 4PM on ESPN)
Liberty @ Coastal 657K (Thu 7:30PM on ESPN)
Boise St @ WMU 328K (Sat 3:45 on ESPN 2)
Rice @ Fresno St 278K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Hawaii @ Wyoming 245K (Sat 3PM on CW)
Air Force @ Nevada 164K (Sat 10:30 PM on FS1)
Incarnate Word @ Texas St 95K (Sat 6PM on USA)
Colorado St @ UTSA 85K (Sat Noon on ESPN U)

Week 5
Navy @ Air Force 1.08 Million (Sat Noon on CBS)
Montana St @ Idaho 862K (Friday 10:45PM on ESPN)
North TX @ Tulsa 444K (Thu 9PM on ESPN)
Wyoming @ NDSU 356K (Sat 3:30PM on CW)
Oregon St @ Colorado St 351K (Sat 3:30 on USA)
TX St @ San Diego St 258K (Sat 10:30PM on CW)
Fresno St @ Washington St 196K (Sat 9:30PM on USA)
Marshall @ JMU 88K (Sat 3:45PM on ESPN U)
Temple @ USF 78K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPN U)

Week 6
Boise St @ Fresno St 682K (Sat 10:30 PM on CW)
USF @ UTSA 551K (Thur 7:30 PM on ESPN)
Washington St @ Utah St 407K (Fri 9PM on CW)
So Miss @ Troy 317K (Tues 8PM on ESPN 2)
NMSU @ FIU 302K (Wed 7:30 PM on ESPN 2)
NDSU @ UNLV 300K (Sat 7PM on CW)
San Diego St @ Oregon St 196K (Sat 6PM on USA)
So Alabama @ Arkansas St 181K (Thus 7:30 on ESPN 2)
UAB @ Memphis 129K (Sat 7PM on ESPN 2)
Nevada @ UTEP 118K (Sat 7PM on FS1)
Sam Houston @ Liberty 81K (Thu 7PM on ESPN U)
UCONN @ Temple 60K (Sat 3:45PM on ESPN U)
JMU @ GA Southern 60K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPN U)

Week 7
Memphis @ Tulane 1.01 Million (Friday 7:30PM on ESPN)
ECU @ UAB 546K (Thur 7:30PM on ESPN)
WKU @ Sam Houston 485K (Wed 8PM Wed on ESPN)
Washington St @ Oregon St 349K (Sat 6PM on USA)
App St @ Coastal 311K (Fri 8:24PM on ESPN 2)
FIU @ Jax 236K (Tues 8PM on ESPN U)
New Mexico @ Hawaii 220K (Sat 10:30PM on FS1)
NIU @ Wyoming 209K (Sat 3:30pm on CW)
Georgia Southern @ ODU 188K (Thu 7:32 on ESPN 2)
Navy @ UTSA 100K (Sat 8PM on ESPN U)
Georgia St @ JMU 75K (Sat 12:06PM on ESPN U)

Week 8
ECU @ Memphis 464K (Thurs 7:30pm on ESPN 2)
NMSU @ Sam Houston 411K (Wed 8PM on ESPN 2)
NDSU @ New Mexico 390K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Air Force @ Wyoming 376K (Fri 9pm on CW)
JMU @ App State 366K (Thu 7pm on ESPN U)
Army @ Tulsa 323K (Fri 8:30pm on ESPN 2)
South Alabama @ Marshall 305K (Tues 7:30pm on ESPN 2)
San Diego St @ Colorado St 302K (Sat 6:30pm on CW)
Boise St @ Washington St 268K (Sat 6PM on USA)
NC Central @ Delaware State 199K (Fri 5PM on ESPN 2) <<<< HBCU FCS game
Mo State @ Delaware 172K (Tues 7pm on ESPN U)
Rice @ FAU 58K (Sat Noon on ESPN U)
UTSA @ Tulane 34K (Sat 8pm on ESPN U)
Eastern Michigan @ Ohio 32K (Sat 4pm on ESPN U)


https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/college...v-ratings/
https://tvmediablog.substack.com/p/2026-...viewership

What stands out are all the AAC schools drawing flies. North Texas, FAU. Yes the schools are in some of the largest media markets in America but no one cares! They are commuter schools that people get degrees from then watch Texas and Miami on Saturday


The supposedly big dogs of the Sunbelt east Marshall and JMU, drawing a massive 88k on an ESPN network on Saturday. No one watches these schools. They brag and brag but draw crickets. They are “big time” only in their own minds

ESPNU always has super low ratings.... it's not any programs fault.

The only valid comparison of the ratings is to compare like networks and like time slots.

A Saturday afternoon/primetime game on ESPN will always outdraw a Tuesday night game on ESPNU, and usually by a lot.

Break all these up by network and by time slots and you get a MUCH clearer idea of who's being watched. (You can probably safely put all midweek games together as one "day".)

Memphis @ UNLV 1.65 million (Sat 10:30 PM on FOX)

Navy @ Air Force 1.08 Million (Sat Noon on CBS)

Army @ Temple 799K (Fri 4PM on ESPN)

Navy @ UAB 1.19 Million (Fri 7:20 PM on ESPN)
Liberty @ Coastal 657K (Thu 7:30PM on ESPN)
USF @ UTSA 551K (Thu 7:30 PM on ESPN)

Montana St @ Idaho 862K (Friday 10:45PM on ESPN)
North TX @ Tulsa 444K (Thu 9PM on ESPN)

NDSU @ Sac St 450K (Sat 10:40 PM on ESPN)

So Miss @ Troy 317K (Tues 8PM on ESPN2)
NMSU @ FIU 302K (Wed 7:30 PM on ESPN2)
So Alabama @ Arkansas St 181K (Thu 7:30 on ESPN2)

Boise St @ WMU 328K (Sat 3:45 on ESPN2)

UAB @ Memphis 129K (Sat 7PM on ESPN2)

Sam Houston @ Liberty 81K (Thu 7PM on ESPNU)

Liberty @ JMU 189K (Sat Noon on ESPNU)
App St @ ECU 188K (Sat noon on ESPNU)
Colorado St @ UTSA 85K (Sat Noon on ESPNU)

UNLV @ North Texas 94K (Sat 3:45 on ESPNU)
Marshall @ JMU 88K (Sat 3:45PM on ESPNU)
UCONN @ Temple 60K (Sat 3:45PM on ESPNU)

Temple @ USF 78K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
JMU @ GA Southern 60K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
Navy @ FAU 48K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)

Washington St @ Utah St 407K (Fri 9PM on CW)

UTSA @ Texas St 370K (Sat 3:45 on CW)
Wyoming @ NDSU 356K (Sat 3:30PM on CW)
Hawaii @ Wyoming 245K (Sat 3PM on CW)

NDSU @ UNLV 300K (Sat 7PM on CW)

Boise St @ Fresno St 682K (Sat 10:30 PM on CW)
UNLV @ Hawaii 417K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Montana St @ Nevada 303K (Sat 10:30 PM on CW)
Rice @ Fresno St 278K (Sat 10PM on CW)
TX St @ San Diego St 258K (Sat 10:30PM on CW)
JMU @ San Diego St 189K (Sat 10PM on CW)

The stand outs
Navy @ Air Force 1.08 Million (Sat Noon on CBS)
JMU @ San Diego St 189K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Navy @ FAU 48K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
North TX @ Tulsa 444K (Thu 9PM on ESPN)
JMU @ GA Southern 60K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
UAB @ Memphis 129K (Sat 7PM on ESPN2)

May want to recheck me but Liberty has two games and both are the highest rated when comparing same day, time and channel.

(10-22-2026 12:17 PM)Gemofthehills Wrote:  The stand outs
Navy @ Air Force 1.08 Million (Sat Noon on CBS)
JMU @ San Diego St 189K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Navy @ FAU 48K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
North TX @ Tulsa 444K (Thu 9PM on ESPN)
JMU @ GA Southern 60K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
UAB @ Memphis 129K (Sat 7PM on ESPN2)

May want to recheck me but Liberty has two games and both are the highest rated when comparing same day, time and channel.

Don't forget this one:

Memphis @ UNLV 1.65 million (Sat 10:30 PM on FOX)

That's the one that surprised me the most. I mean, neither of these are exactly "small-time" programs, but 1.65M is a pretty nice audience for late night on a Saturday.

(10-22-2026 12:36 PM)whupemall Wrote:  

(10-22-2026 12:17 PM)Gemofthehills Wrote:  The stand outs
Navy @ Air Force 1.08 Million (Sat Noon on CBS)
JMU @ San Diego St 189K (Sat 10PM on CW)
Navy @ FAU 48K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
North TX @ Tulsa 444K (Thu 9PM on ESPN)
JMU @ GA Southern 60K (Sat 7:30PM on ESPNU)
UAB @ Memphis 129K (Sat 7PM on ESPN2)

May want to recheck me but Liberty has two games and both are the highest rated when comparing same day, time and channel.

Don't forget this one:

Memphis @ UNLV 1.65 million (Sat 10:30 PM on FOX)

That's the one that surprised me the most. I mean, neither of these are exactly "small-time" programs, but 1.65M is a pretty nice audience for late night on a Saturday.

FOX/NBC/CBS/ABC could show paint drying for two hours and get a million viewers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

(10-22-2026 11:36 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  ESPNU always has super low ratings.... it's not any programs fault.

This is not entirely true.

It is true that ESPNU is a Tier 2 channel, which means people with basic cable will not have the channel. Therefore less people have ESPNU than ESPN and ESPN2.

HOWEVER, if you are die hard fan of your team, you are going to watch their game on ESPNU.

Now, if you are streaming the game on your laptop or tablet, via the ESPN app or espn.com, then those numbers are NOT included in the rankings.

So ESPNU games may be artificially low, as fans with basic cable would have to watch via an ESPN+ subscription

For me, games on ESPNU are a more accurate measure of a teams true fanbase. Games on ESPN, FOX, etc are going to pull in a lot of casual fans, including teams who are fans of other teams just wanting to watch a good football game.

However, the games on ESPNU are typically the people who are dedicated fans of one of the two teams playing.

So when a game pulls under 100,000 that's not really good unless there are a few hundred thousand streaming the game (which ESPN does keep track of internally).

(10-22-2026 12:36 PM)whupemall Wrote:  Don't forget this one:

Memphis @ UNLV 1.65 million (Sat 10:30 PM on FOX)

That's the one that surprised me the most. I mean, neither of these are exactly "small-time" programs, but 1.65M is a pretty nice audience for late night on a Saturday.

Keep in mind that every bar or restaurant that had a TV tuned to FOX would be counted once.

I'm sure every bar in Memphis & Vegas had at least one TV tuned to this game; not to mention other bars & restaurants across the country.

It was also Week 0, lots of people are have been dying for college football and will watch anything on Week 0

(10-22-2026 01:17 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-22-2026 11:36 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  ESPNU always has super low ratings.... it's not any programs fault.

This is not entirely true.

It is true that ESPNU is a Tier 2 channel, which means people with basic cable will not have the channel. Therefore less people have ESPNU than ESPN and ESPN2.

HOWEVER, if you are die hard fan of your team, you are going to watch their game on ESPNU.

Now, if you are streaming the game on your laptop or tablet, via the ESPN app or espn.com, then those numbers are NOT included in the rankings.

So ESPNU games may be artificially low, as fans with basic cable would have to watch via an ESPN+ subscription

For me, games on ESPNU are a more accurate measure of a teams true fanbase. Games on ESPN, FOX, etc are going to pull in a lot of casual fans, including teams who are fans of other teams just wanting to watch a good football game.

However, the games on ESPNU are typically the people who are dedicated fans of one of the two teams playing.

So when a game pulls under 100,000 that's not really good unless there are a few hundred thousand streaming the game (which ESPN does keep track of internally).

With the ESPN "Select" or "Plus" or whatever they are calling it now on regular YouTubeTV and DirectTV platforms (among possible others), I wonder if it will be easier to track ?

(10-22-2026 01:28 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  With the ESPN "Select" or "Plus" or whatever they are calling it now on regular YouTubeTV and DirectTV platforms (among possible others), I wonder if it will be easier to track ?

From what I read, if the game is watched on YouTubeTV, Hulu Live, DirectTV, your cable company's streaming app, etc; it IS counted.

It is only NOT counted if it is via the ESPN App, Disney Plus App, ESPN.com, ESPN+, etc.

(10-22-2026 12:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  The only valid comparison of the ratings is to compare like networks and like time slots.

A Saturday afternoon/primetime game on ESPN will always outdraw a Tuesday night game on ESPNU, and usually by a lot.

Break all these up by network and by time slots and you get a MUCH clearer idea of who's being watched. (You can probably safely put all midweek games together as one "day".)

So Miss @ Troy 317K (Tues 8PM on ESPN2)
NMSU @ FIU 302K (Wed 7:30 PM on ESPN2)
So Alabama @ Arkansas St 181K (Thu 7:30 on ESPN2)

As you and others point out, ESPNU ratings will always be low. I like your idea of comparing network and time slot, but I think there should be a consideration for day of the week as well. That South Alabama and Arkansas State game was going head to head with the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tuesday and Wednesday games wouldn’t ever be going head to head with the NFL.

(10-24-2026 10:04 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(10-22-2026 12:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  The only valid comparison of the ratings is to compare like networks and like time slots.

A Saturday afternoon/primetime game on ESPN will always outdraw a Tuesday night game on ESPNU, and usually by a lot.

Break all these up by network and by time slots and you get a MUCH clearer idea of who's being watched. (You can probably safely put all midweek games together as one "day".)

So Miss @ Troy 317K (Tues 8PM on ESPN2)
NMSU @ FIU 302K (Wed 7:30 PM on ESPN2)
So Alabama @ Arkansas St 181K (Thu 7:30 on ESPN2)

As you and others point out, ESPNU ratings will always be low. I like your idea of comparing network and time slot, but I think there should be a consideration for day of the week as well. That South Alabama and Arkansas State game was going head to head with the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tuesday and Wednesday games wouldn’t ever be going head to head with the NFL.

Well well ole Skunky Maroo. This guy is wealth of knowledge or should I say a wealth of ignorance. Weren’t you promoting ECU to the Sunbelt or was that some moronic Marshall fan?

Don’t you have someone to ban for speaking facts about the Sunbelt media contract?

(10-24-2026 10:12 PM)JackedUp Wrote:  

(10-24-2026 10:04 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(10-22-2026 12:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  The only valid comparison of the ratings is to compare like networks and like time slots.

A Saturday afternoon/primetime game on ESPN will always outdraw a Tuesday night game on ESPNU, and usually by a lot.

Break all these up by network and by time slots and you get a MUCH clearer idea of who's being watched. (You can probably safely put all midweek games together as one "day".)

So Miss @ Troy 317K (Tues 8PM on ESPN2)
NMSU @ FIU 302K (Wed 7:30 PM on ESPN2)
So Alabama @ Arkansas St 181K (Thu 7:30 on ESPN2)

As you and others point out, ESPNU ratings will always be low. I like your idea of comparing network and time slot, but I think there should be a consideration for day of the week as well. That South Alabama and Arkansas State game was going head to head with the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tuesday and Wednesday games wouldn’t ever be going head to head with the NFL.

Well well ole Skunky Maroo. This guy is wealth of knowledge or should I say a wealth of ignorance. Weren’t you promoting ECU to the Sunbelt or was that some moronic Marshall fan?

Don’t you have someone to ban for speaking facts about the Sunbelt media contract?

I’ve never once in my life promoted ECU to the Sun Belt.

You have to compare networks against the same and days/times to the same. TV is difficult to really compare unless it is the same time/day/channel.

(10-24-2026 10:04 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(10-22-2026 12:13 PM)whupemall Wrote:  The only valid comparison of the ratings is to compare like networks and like time slots.

A Saturday afternoon/primetime game on ESPN will always outdraw a Tuesday night game on ESPNU, and usually by a lot.

Break all these up by network and by time slots and you get a MUCH clearer idea of who's being watched. (You can probably safely put all midweek games together as one "day".)

So Miss @ Troy 317K (Tues 8PM on ESPN2)
NMSU @ FIU 302K (Wed 7:30 PM on ESPN2)
So Alabama @ Arkansas St 181K (Thu 7:30 on ESPN2)

As you and others point out, ESPNU ratings will always be low. I like your idea of comparing network and time slot, but I think there should be a consideration for day of the week as well. That South Alabama and Arkansas State game was going head to head with the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tuesday and Wednesday games wouldn’t ever be going head to head with the NFL.

Yeah, the NFL (and even MLB) throw a monkey wrench into the whole idea of treating weekdays as a single entity.

The problem is, when you make it too granular, the sample size falls off a cliff.

I already had to draw a distinction between early evening and late night games. I don't think there's enough inventory to split it up more than that. (At least at this point in the season. We can revisit this in December.)

(10-22-2026 01:17 PM)sigke Wrote:  

(10-22-2026 11:36 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  ESPNU always has super low ratings.... it's not any programs fault.

This is not entirely true.

It is true that ESPNU is a Tier 2 channel, which means people with basic cable will not have the channel. Therefore less people have ESPNU than ESPN and ESPN2.

HOWEVER, if you are die hard fan of your team, you are going to watch their game on ESPNU.

Now, if you are streaming the game on your laptop or tablet, via the ESPN app or espn.com, then those numbers are NOT included in the rankings.

So ESPNU games may be artificially low, as fans with basic cable would have to watch via an ESPN+ subscription

For me, games on ESPNU are a more accurate measure of a teams true fanbase. Games on ESPN, FOX, etc are going to pull in a lot of casual fans, including teams who are fans of other teams just wanting to watch a good football game.

However, the games on ESPNU are typically the people who are dedicated fans of one of the two teams playing.

So when a game pulls under 100,000 that's not really good unless there are a few hundred thousand streaming the game (which ESPN does keep track of internally).

Ok show me some ESPNU games with good ratings...

(10-26-2026 10:19 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  Ok show me some ESPNU games with good ratings...

The most you'll generally ever see for the U is about 500K.

Only one game so far this season has approached that: OK State vs Tulsa (449K).

Above-average ESPNU viewership is usually a quarter to a half of ESPN2's average.

Above-average ESPN2 viewership is usually a quarter to a half of ESPN's average.

None of this is set in stone, but it's remarkably consistent.

(10-26-2026 10:19 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  Ok show me some ESPNU games with good ratings...

I think you are missing my point. I didn't say game on ESPNU have good ratings. I'm saying a game on ESPNU gives a good snapshot of how much a team's own fans really care compared to other games on ESPNU.

True fans are going to find their team on ESPNU and watch.

ESPN and ESPN2 get a bunch of college football fans who just want to watch a college football game. So you don't know how many are true fans of the teams playing vs those who watch whatever game in on ESPN.

However, with ESPNU; the people watching are typically fans of the teams playing. Few casual fans turn on ESPNU.

That's my point.

I think JMU's viewership is very interesting.....

Unless a ton of JMU fans stream, it's "interesting" to say the least....

Week 1: Liberty @ JMU 189K Sat Noon ESPN U
Week 3: JMU @ San Diego St 189K Sat 10PM CW
Week 5: Marshall @ JMU 88K Sat 3:45PM ESPN U
Week 6: JMU @ Georgia Southern 60K Sat 7:30 PM ESPN U
Week 7: Georgia St @ JMU 75K Sat 12:06PM ESPN U
Week 8: JMU @ App State 366K Thurs 7PM ESPN U



I think JMU @ App State game having 366K on ESPN U is more likely thanks to App State fans and perhaps people hearing that JMU might lose and quickly tuning into the channel. I don't think We can contribute this to real JMU fans.