With the regular season now complete, here are the television ratings for most college football games on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN and ESPN2.



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The biggest names in college football unsurprisingly attracted the biggest numbers during the 2012 regular season. The highest rated and most-watched college football game of the season was the December 1 Alabama/Georgia SEC Championship Game on CBS (9.8, 16.2M), followed close behind by Notre Dame/Southern Cal on ABC November 24 (9.4, 16.1M).

Those two games rank as the fifth and sixth-most viewed regular season college football games of the past 20 years — a good omen for ESPN, which is scheduled to carry the January 7 Notre Dame/Alabama BCS National Championship Game.

Alabama also played in the third and fourth-most viewed games of the 2012 season. Their November 3 win over LSU drew a 6.8 and 11.3 million viewers, while their upset loss to Texas A&M the following week drew a 6.1 and 9.6 million.

Rounding out the top five this season was the November 24 Michigan/Ohio State game on ABC, which earned a 5.8 and 9.5 million viewers.

TV Ratings For 2012 Regular Season College Football Games

P2+ viewership (if available) in parentheses

Double-asterisk (**) indicates overnight rating

UPDATED 12/13: Added final ratings/viewership for Thanksgiving week games on ABC, CBS and FOX

UPDATED 12/15: Added final ratings/viewership for Army/Navy on CBS

Date Rating Away Home Time Net WEEK ONE Thu., 8/30/12 2.6 (4.1M) South Carolina Vanderbilt 7 PM ESPN 1.5 (2.2M) Wash. St. BYU 10 PM ESPN Fri., 8/31/12 2.7 (4.2M) Boise St. Michigan St. 8 PM ESPN 0.8 (1.5M) Tennessee N.C. State 7:30 PM ESPNU Sat., 9/1/12 4.8 (7.9M) Alabama Michigan 8 PM ABC 2.4 (3.5M) Ohio Penn State 12 PM ESPN 2.3 (3.5M) Miami Boston College 3:30 PM ABC Southern Miss. Nebraska 2.1 (3.6M) Clemson Auburn 7 PM ESPN 1.8 (2.8M) Bowling Green Florida 3:30 PM ESPN 1.2 (2.0M) Ark. State Oregon 10:30 PM ESPN 1.2 (1.8M) Hawaii USC 7 PM FOX 1.9** Notre Dame Navy 9 AM CBS Sun., 9/2/12 1.5 (2.4M) Kentucky Louisville 4 PM ESPN Mon.,9/3/12 2.8 (4.3M) Ga. Tech Va. Tech 8 PM ESPN WEEK TWO Thu., 9/6/12 1.6 (2.2M) Pittsburgh Cincinnati 8 PM ESPN Fri., 9/7/12 N/A (1.6M) Utah Utah State 8 PM ESPN2 Sat., 9/8/12 3.3 (4.7M) USC Syracuse 3:30 PM ABC Air Force Michigan 2.9 (4.5M) Florida Texas A&M 3:30 PM ESPN 2.8 (4.3M) Nebraska UCLA 8 PM FOX 2.4 (4.1M) Georgia Missouri 7:45 PM ESPN2 2.0 (2.8M) Penn State Virginia 12 PM ABC 1.9 (2.8M) Purdue Notre Dame 3:30 PM NBC 1.8 (2.9M) Washington LSU 7 PM ESPN 1.7 (2.5M) Auburn Mississippi St. 12 PM ESPN 1.4 (2.2M) UCF Ohio State 12 PM ESPN2 WEEK THREE Thu., 9/13/12 N/A (1.3M) Rutgers USF 7:30 PM ESPN Fri., 9/14/12 N/A (1.4M) Washington St. UNLV 9 PM ESPN Sat., 9/15/12 3.2 (5.0M) Notre Dame Michigan St. 8 PM ABC 3.2 Alabama Arkansas 3:30 PM CBS 3.1 (5.1M) Florida Tennessee 6 PM ESPN 2.7 (3.8M) Cal Ohio State 12 PM ABC 2.5 (3.9M) USC Stanford 8 PM FOX 1.9 (2.7M) Penn State Navy 3:30 PM ABC UNC Louisville 1.5 (2.4M) Texas Mississippi 9:30 PM ESPN WEEK FOUR Thu., 9/20/12 1.4 (2.1M) BYU Boise State 9 PM ESPN Fri., 9/21/12 1.5 (2.2M) Baylor UL-Monroe 8 PM ESPN Sat., 9/22/12 4.0 (6.4M) Michigan Notre Dame 7:30 PM NBC 2.9 (4.8M) Clemson FSU 8 PM ABC 2.5 Missouri South Carolina 3:30 PM CBS 2.4 (3.8M) LSU Auburn 7 PM ESPN 2.3 Oregon State UCLA 3:30 PM ABC Temple Penn State 2.0 (3.0M) Arizona Oregon 10:30 PM ESPN 1.8 (2.8M) Kansas St. Oklahoma 8 PM FOX WEEK FIVE Thu., 9/27/12 1.4 (2.1M) Stanford Washington 9 PM ESPN Fri., 9/28/12 1.0 (1.4M) Hawaii BYU 8 PM ESPN Sat., 9/29/12 3.3 (5.0M) Ohio State Michigan St. 3:30 PM ABC 2.9 Tennessee Georgia 3:30 PM CBS 2.7 (4.3M) Wisconsin Nebraska 8 PM ABC 2.5 (3.8M) Texas Oklahoma St. 8 PM FOX 2.1 (3.5M) Mississippi Alabama 9:30 PM ESPN 1.2 (1.9M) South Carolina Kentucky 7 PM ESPN2 1.2 (1.7M) Penn State Illinois 12 PM ESPN 1.1 (1.7M) Oregon Washington St. 10:30 PM ESPN2 1.1 (1.7M) FSU USF 6 PM ESPN 0.6 (891K) Clemson Boston College 3:30 PM ESPN2 0.5 (758K) Minnesota Iowa 12 PM ESPN2 WEEK SIX Thu., 10/4/12 1.6 (2.3M) USC Utah 9 PM ESPN Fri., 10/5/12 1.0 (1.4M) Pittsburgh Syracuse 7 PM ESPN 0.9 (1.4M) Utah State BYU 10:15 PM ESPN Sat., 10/6/12 4.6 Florida LSU 3:30 PM CBS 3.1 (5.2M) Nebraska Ohio State 8 PM ABC 2.9 (4.6M) West Virginia Texas 7 PM FOX 2.3 (4.0M) Georgia South Carolina 7 PM ESPN 2.2 (3.7M) Miami Notre Dame 7:30 PM NBC 2.0 (3.1M) Illinois Wisconsin 3:30 PM ABC Oklahoma Texas Tech 1.7 (2.5M) Washington Oregon 10:30 PM ESPN 1.7 (2.5M) Northwestern Penn State 12 PM ESPN 1.2 (1.9M) Arkansas Auburn 12 PM ESPN2 1.1 Navy Air Force 11:30 AM CBS 1.0 (1.4M) Ga. Tech Clemson 3:30 PM ESPN 0.8 (1.3M) FSU N.C. State 8 PM ESPN2 0.4 (553K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 3:30 PM ESPN2 1.0** Arizona Stanford 3 PM FOX WEEK SEVEN Thu., 10/11/12 0.6 (823K) Arizona St. Colorado 9 PM ESPN Fri., 10/12/12 0.6 (884K) Navy Cent. Michigan 8 PM ESPN2 Sat., 10/13/12 3.7 (6.0M) South Carolina LSU 8 PM ESPN 3.3 (5.2M) Stanford Notre Dame 3:30 PM NBC 3.1 (4.6M) West Virginia Texas Tech 3:30 PM ABC Oregon State BYU Illinois Michigan 2.3 Alabama Missouri 3:30 PM CBS 1.6 (2.5M) USC Washington 7 PM FOX 1.4 (2.1M) Iowa Michigan St. 12 PM ESPN 0.7 (1.1M) Tennessee Mississippi St. 9 PM ESPN2 0.7 (990K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 3:30 PM ESPN 0.6 Utah UCLA 3 PM FOX 0.4 (672K) Boston College FSU 5:30 PM ESPN2 0.4 (646K) Northwestern Minnesota 12 PM ESPN2 3.5** Texas Oklahoma 12 PM ABC WEEK EIGHT Tue., 10/16/12 0.3 (366K) UL-Lafayette North Texas 9 PM ESPN2 Thu., 10/18/12 1.3 (1.9M) Oregon Arizona St. 9 PM ESPN Fri., 10/19/12 0.8 (1.0M) Connecticut Syracuse 8 PM ESPN Sat., 10/20/12 3.1 (4.9M) Florida South Carolina 3:30 PM CBS 3.1 (4.8M) FSU Miami 8 PM ABC Baylor Texas 2.9 Virginia Tech Clemson 12 PM ABC Purdue Ohio State 2.8 (4.2M) LSU Texas A&M 12 PM ESPN 2.6 (4.0M) USF Louisville 3:30 PM ABC Texas Tech TCU Nebraska Northwestern 2.5 (4.2M) Alabama Tennessee 7 PM ESPN 2.4 (3.7M) BYU Notre Dame 3:30 PM NBC 1.6 (2.5M) Kansas State West Virginia 7 PM FOX 0.8 (1.3M) Utah Oregon State 10:30 PM ESPN2 0.4 (666K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 3:30 PM ESPN2 0.3 (471K) Middle Tenn. Mississippi St. 7 PM ESPN2 0.3 (460K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 12 PM ESPN2 0.7** Stanford Cal 3 PM FOX WEEK NINE Tue., 10/23/12 0.5 (778K) Ark. State UL-Lafayette 7:30 PM ESPN2 Thu., 10/25/12 0.8 (1.2M) Clemson Wake Forest 7:30 PM ESPN Fri., 10/26/12 1.4 (2.0M) Cincinnati Louisville 8 PM ESPN2 Sat., 10/27/12 5.2 (8.6M) Notre Dame Oklahoma 8 PM ABC 4.2 Georgia Florida 3:30 PM CBS 2.8 Michigan St. Wisconsin 3:30 PM ABC USC Arizona 2.6 (3.9M) Tennessee South Carolina 12 PM ESPN 2.3 (3.9M) Ohio State Penn State 5:30 PM ESPN 2.1 (3.7M) Mississippi St. Alabama 8:45 PM ESPN 1.2 (2.0M) Michigan Nebraska 8 PM ESPN2 0.6 (909K) Iowa Northwestern 12 PM ESPN2 0.4 (640K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 3:30 PM ESPN2 1.3** Texas Tech Kansas State 3 PM FOX WEEK TEN Thu., 11/1/12 1.3 (1.9M) Virginia Tech Miami 7:30 PM ESPN Fri., 11/2/12 0.8 (1.2M) Washington Cal 9 PM ESPN2 Sat., 11/3/12 6.8 (11.3M) Alabama LSU 8 PM CBS 3.8 (6.0M) Pittsburgh Notre Dame 3:30 PM NBC 2.8 (4.5M) Oregon USC 7 PM FOX 2.7 Texas Texas Tech 3:30 PM ABC Nebraska Michigan St. 1.9 (2.9M) Oklahoma St. Kansas St. 8 PM ABC 1.9 Temple Louisville 12 PM ABC Oklahoma Iowa State 1.9 Mississippi Georgia 12 PM CBS 1.5 (2.3M) Missouri Florida 12 PM ESPN2 1.3 (2.2M) Illinois Ohio State 3:30 PM ESPN 1.3 (1.9M) Texas A&M Mississippi St. 12 PM ESPN 0.7 (1.0M) Arizona St. Oregon St. 10:30 PM ESPN2 0.6 (889K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 3:30 PM ESPN2 0.3 (505K) Clemson Duke 7 PM ESPN2 1.0** TCU West Virginia 3 PM FOX WEEK ELEVEN Tue., 11/6/12 0.4 (570K) Ball State Toledo 8 PM ESPN2 Wed., 11/7/12 0.5 (719K) Bowling Green Ohio 8 PM ESPN2 Thu., 11/8/12 1.7 (2.7M) FSU Virginia Tech 7:30 PM ESPN 0.1 (177K) UL-Monroe Ark. State 7 PM ESPNU Fri., 11/9/12 0.6 (931K) Pittsburgh Connecticut 8 PM ESPN2 Sat., 11/10/12 6.1 (9.6M) Texas A&M Alabama 3:30 PM CBS 3.6 (5.8M) Notre Dame Boston College 8 PM ABC 2.3 (3.7M) Oregon Cal 10:30 PM ESPN 2.2 (3.5M) West Virginia Oklahoma St. 3:30 PM ABC Penn State Nebraska 1.9 (3.0M) Kansas St. TCU 7 PM FOX 1.8 (2.6M) Northwestern Michigan 12 PM ESPN 1.8 Arkansas South Carolina 12 PM CBS 1.6 (2.6M) Mississippi St. LSU 7 PM ESPN 1.0 (1.7M) Georgia Auburn 7 PM ESPN2 0.5 (735K) UCLA Washington St. 10:30 PM ESPN2 0.5 (690K) Wisconsin Indiana 12 PM ESPN2 0.4 (617K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 3:30 PM ESPN2 0.2 (287K) Maryland Clemson 3:30 PM ESPNU 0.1 (219K) Vanderbilt Mississippi 7 PM ESPNU 0.1 (191K) Idaho BYU 11 PM ESPNU 0.1 (122K) Army Rutgers 12 PM ESPNU 1.0** Oregon St. Stanford 3 PM FOX WEEK TWELVE Wed., 11/14/12 0.4 (557K) Toledo No. Illinois 9 PM ESPN2 0.2 (281K) Ohio Ball State 8 PM ESPNU Thu., 11/15/12 0.9 (1.2M) UNC Virginia 7:30 PM ESPN Fri., 11/16/12 0.5 (794K) Hawaii Air Force 9:30 PM ESPN2 0.1 (220K) FIU FAU 8 PM ESPNU Sat., 11/17/12 5.1 (8.3M) Stanford Oregon 8 PM ABC 3.1 (4.9M) Ohio State Wisconsin 3:30 PM ABC N.C. State Clemson 2.1 (3.3M) Kansas State Baylor 8 PM ESPN 2.1 (3.2M) Oklahoma West Virginia 7 PM FOX 1.8 (2.6M) Iowa Michigan 12 PM ESPN 0.9 (1.3M) Northwestern Michigan St. 12 PM ESPN2 0.7 (1.1M) Tennessee Vanderbilt 7 PM ESPN2 0.6 (845K) Reverse mirror of ABC window 3:30 PM ESPN2 0.4 (581K) FSU Maryland 12 PM ESPNU 0.3 (455K) BYU San Jose St. 10:30 PM ESPN2 0.3 (448K) Syracuse Missouri 7 PM ESPNU 0.2 (363K) Arizona Utah 10:30 PM ESPNU 0.1 (192K) Duke Ga. Tech 3:30 PM ESPNU 2.7** USC UCLA 3 PM FOX 2.4** Mississippi LSU 3:30 PM CBS 1.7** Wake Forest Notre Dame 3:30 PM NBC WEEK THIRTEEN Tue., 11/20/12 0.4 (542K) Akron Toledo 7 PM ESPN2 Thu., 11/22/12 1.1 (1.9M) TCU Texas 7:30 PM ESPN Fri., 11/23/12 2.8 (4.2M) LSU Arkansas 2:30 PM CBS 2.8 (4.1M) Nebraska Iowa 12 PM ABC 1.9 (2.8M) West Virginia Iowa State 3:30 PM ABC 1.3 (1.9M) Arizona St. Arizona 10:30 PM ESPN 1.2 (2.0M) Washington Washington St. 3:30 PM FOX 1.0 (1.6M) USF Cincinnati 7 PM ESPN 0.4 (536K) Syracuse Temple 11 AM ESPN2 0.1 (153K) Ohio Kent State 11 AM ESPNU Sat., 11/24/12 9.4 (16.1M) Notre Dame USC 8 PM ABC 5.8 (9.5M) Michigan Ohio State 12 PM ABC 5.1 (8.5M) Florida Florida State 3:30 PM ABC 2.4 (3.9M) Auburn Alabama 3:30 PM CBS 1.7 (3.1M) South Carolina Clemson 7:30 PM ESPN 1.5 (2.5M) Stanford UCLA 6:30 PM FOX 1.5 (2.3M) Oklahoma St. Oklahoma 3:30 PM ESPN 1.4 (2.3M) Georgia Tech Georgia 12 PM ESPN 1.2 (2.0M) Wisconsin Penn State 3:30 PM ESPN2 1.0 (1.6M) Baylor Texas Tech 2:30 PM FOX 0.7 (1.1M) Missouri Texas A&M 7 PM ESPN2 0.7 (983K) Grambling Southern 2:30 PM NBC 0.4 (614K) Rutgers Pittsburgh 12 PM ESPN2 0.3 (502K) Mississippi St. Mississippi 7 PM ESPNU 0.3 (401K) Louisiana Tech San Jose St. 11 PM ESPN2 0.3 (415K) Virginia Virginia Tech 12 PM ESPNU 0.1 (99K) Vanderbilt Wake Forest 3:30 PM ESPNU WEEK FOURTEEN Thu., 11/29/12 1.2 (1.7M) Louisville Rutgers 7:30 PM ESPN Fri., 11/30/12 3.0 (4.9M) Stanford UCLA 8 PM FOX 0.9 (1.3M) No. Illinois Kent State 7 PM ESPN2 Sat., 12/1/12 9.8 (16.2M) Alabama Georgia 4 PM CBS 3.3 (5.2M) Texas Kansas State 8 PM ABC 2.9 (5.1M) Wisconsin Nebraska 8 PM FOX 2.3 (3.3M) Oklahoma TCU 12 PM ESPN 1.2 (2.0M) FSU Ga. Tech 8 PM ESPN 0.4 (590K) Tulsa UCF 12 PM ESPN2 0.2 (349K) Pittsburgh USF 7 PM ESPN2 1.0** Cincinnati Connecticut 3:30 PM ABC Boise State Nevada WEEK FIFTEEN Sat., 12/8/12 3.8 Army Navy 3 PM CBS

(Data from various sources, including ESPN, Sports Business Daily, Son of the Bronx, and TV By the Numbers)