Sunday night’s second presidential debate of 2016 has already eclipsed the first in terms of hype, anticipation and speculation, creating the possibility of record television ratings.

Tape from 2005 in which Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE can be heard making lewd remarks about groping women has led to a historic crisis in the GOP — and wall-to-wall media coverage.

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Trump’s first debate with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE won a record 84 million viewers, beating the old mark of 80.6 million set by Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Sunday night’s slugfest, when an entire nation will be watching to see how Trump responds to his latest controversy, could attract even more viewers — though it faces tougher competition in the Sunday night football game between the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, as well as Major League Baseball’s playoffs.

David Shuster, a former anchor with Al Jazeera America and MSNBC, says audience levels will be unprecedented — largely because of interest in whatever Trump will say.

The GOP contender has strongly suggested he may fight back by raising former President Bill Clinton William (Bill) Jefferson ClintonChelsea Clinton: Trump isn't building public confidence in a vaccine Hillary Clinton launching podcast this month GOP brushes back charges of hypocrisy in Supreme Court fight MORE’s infidelities, including his alleged rape of Juanita Broaddrick in 1978 and accusations that Hillary Clinton bullied women into being quiet.

Hillary calls Trump's remarks "horrific" while she lives with and protects a "Rapist". Her actions are horrific. — Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) October 8, 2016

On Saturday night, Trump foreshadowed what could be coming by retweeting two messages from a Twitter account under Broaddrick’s name.

“The Trump video, media obsession over it, and the specter of Trump responding to Hillary by possibly bringing up Bill Clinton's alleged rapes, will make the debate must watch, even to people who hate politics,” Shuster said.

“No TV drama or confrontation has ever gotten the kind of lead-in the debate received this weekend from the national discussion over Trump's lewd language and the related reminders of Bill Clinton's history of lewd action.”

Others don’t expect Sunday night’s debate to match the ratings of the Sept. 26 event, which took place on a Monday night, given the tougher competition.

“I'd love to see it hit 90 million, but this one will likely be fewer than 80 million,” said Erin McPike, a longtime political commentator. “The Giants are playing in Green Bay on NBC at the same time. Baseball playoffs [Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays] are on TV at the time.”

“I expect the audience numbers for Sunday’s debate will be in the same area as the first debate,” said Rick Ungar, a SiriusXM co-host.

The debate is a town hall format, meaning Trump and Clinton will get questions from audience members.

For Trump, that could mean that questions about his attitudes toward women will come from real-life women voters at Washington University in St. Louis.

For Clinton, it could mean questions about newly unearthed paid speeches she gave to bankers. Excerpts of the speeches were released on Friday by WikiLeaks, but the story was quickly overshadowed by the latest controversy surrounding Trump.

In one excerpt of a speech Clinton gave to a Brazilian bank in 2013, she said she favored a “hemispheric common market, with open trade and open borders.”

The remarks contrast with positions Clinton took, under pressure from presidential primary rival Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Bernie Sanders warns of 'nightmare scenario' if Trump refuses election results Harris joins women's voter mobilization event also featuring Pelosi, Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda MORE (I-Vt.), against the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

“It will be journalistic malfeasance if the debate doesn't include questions about the Clinton Foundation, emails and Goldman Sachs speeches,” Schuster said. “Somebody needs to ask Hillary Clinton why she said Wall Street can fix itself, why she told financial executives the opposite of what she has told voters, and which Hillary Clinton is running now.”

Conservatives have criticized the moderators of the first presidential debate and the only vice presidential debate for either not asking about or giving little attention to controversies surrounding Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of State, and donations corporate and foreign interests made to the Clinton Foundation.

Ungar predicted that audience questions will help broach topics not raised by moderators to this point.

“Since this is a town hall format, I think some of the topics that have been missing will be asked by audience members,” he said.

Debate ratings — total viewers