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Ohio State-Oregon draws largest primetime audience for Big Ten regular season game since 2008

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra10/14/24SamraSource
Ohio State, Oregon
© Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The first Big Ten showdown between Ohio State and Oregon was a memorable one, and it provided massive ratings for NBC Sports, as it drew drew the largest primetime audience for a regular season Big Ten conference football game since 2008.

NBC Sports revealed the incredible rating for the Ducks’ victory over the Buckeyes on Monday, relaying that the Big Ten clash averaged 10.2 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and NBC Sports Digital, peaking at 13.4 million viewers in the game’s final minutes.

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“Oregon’s thrilling 32-31 victory over Ohio State in a matchup of top-three teams on Big Ten Saturday Night drew the largest primetime audience for a regular season Big Ten conference football game since 2008, with an average of 10.2 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and NBC Sports Digital, according to live plus same day custom fast nationals from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics,” NBC Sports reported.

“NBC Sports’ audience peaked at 13.4 million viewers in the game’s final minutes (10:45-11 p.m. ET).”

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Fans who tuned into NBC Sports’ broadcast from Autzen Stadium were rewarded with a phenomenal contest. The game went down to the final seconds, as Oregon drove down to kick the go-ahead field goal with 1:47 remaining in the game, which was still plenty of time for Ohio State to answer.

The Buckeyes nearly did too, driving down to the Ducks 28-yard line to get in field goal range, but it ended up being all for naught.

Ohio State would go backwards 20 yards due to a pair of penalties to put them out of range again. With six seconds left on the clock, the Oregon defense gave quarterback Will Howard no open targets. He panicked and scrambled forward, running out the clock to give the Ducks the win. 

Moving forward, Ohio State and Oregon could see each other again, and if the way they’ve played in 2024 is any indication, it’s more likely than not, with the expanded College Football Playoff. Time will tell if there’s a sequel, but television executives, media members and fans alike wouldn’t turn one down.

On3’s Chandler Vessels contributed to this article.