Home / Sports / CFP Ratings: Big Brands Shine, G5 Games Flop
CFP Ratings: Big Brands Shine, G5 Games Flop
24 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Major brands drew highest-rated CFP first-round games on record.
- Group of 5 games recorded the two lowest-rated contests ever.
- NFL games preempted Group of 5 CFP matchups with higher viewership.
The College Football Playoff's 12-team format delivered record-breaking viewership for its marquee first-round games. Alabama versus Oklahoma garnered 14.9 million viewers, while Miami versus Texas A&M attracted 14.8 million, marking the two highest-rated contests in CFP history. These figures highlight the strong appeal of major college football brands.
However, a significant ratings gap emerged for games involving Group of 5 teams. Ole Miss-Tulane drew 6.2 million viewers, and Oregon-James Madison fell to 4.4 million, representing the two lowest-rated CFP first-round games to date. This decline was partly attributed to direct competition from highly-rated NFL matchups.
Last year's CFP also saw lower viewership for Group of 5 games, but this year's NFL schedule featured more prominent teams in head-to-head time slots. The NFL's Washington-Philadelphia and Chicago-Green Bay games both achieved higher viewership than the TNT-broadcasted CFP contests, underscoring the challenge for non-Power 5 teams in attracting broad audiences.
