Ranking top 10 most-watched games of 2021 season

The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel revealed the top 10 most-watched college football games of the 2021 regular season, ranking them by national audience with added details about host network. Among the top 10, all were broadcasted on over-the-air stations which have higher viewership than ESPN, FS1 or other cable channels this year.

The list includes three Big Ten games, three SEC games and four interconference games between Power Five programs. The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 is also greater than the separation between No. 2 and No. 10, showing that one game stood above the rest this season.

ABC led all networks with four games inside the top 10, followed by CBS and FOX which each held three inside the top tier and rounded out the list. Alabama and Ohio State drew the biggest audiences with most consistency, each participating in three of the top 10 most-watched games of the 2021 regular season. Auburn, Michigan and Penn State are the other teams to appear in multiple top 10 games.

After a chaotic regular season, the college football world now turns its attention to bowl season with anticipation rising for the College Football Playoff. However, many bowls will not match the numbers put up by some of these classic games which defined the year.

Take a look back at the games which saw the highest viewership in the 2021 regular season below, ranking national audiences for college football’s biggest games.

2021’s most-watched games

10. Penn State at Ohio State (ABC) – 7.1 million

Result: No. 5 Ohio State 33, No. 20 Penn State 24

9. Auburn at Penn State (ABC) – 7.6 million

Result: No. 10 Penn State 28, No. 22 Auburn 20

8. Oregon at Ohio State (FOX) – 7.7 million

Result: No. 12 Oregon 35, No. 3 Ohio State 28

7. Notre Dame at Florida State (ABC) – 7.8 million

Result: No. 9 Notre Dame 41, Florida State 38 (in overtime)

6. Alabama at Florida (CBS) – 7.9 million

Result: No. 1 Alabama 31, No. 11 Florida 29

5. Alabama at Texas A&M (CBS) – 8.3 million

Result: Texas A&M 41, No. 1 Alabama 38

4. Georgia vs. Clemson (ABC) – 8.9 million

Result: No. 5 Georgia 10, No. 3 Clemson 3

3. Michigan at Michigan State (FOX) – 9.3 million

Result: No. 8 Michigan State 37, No. 6 Michigan 33

2. Alabama at Auburn (CBS) – 10.4 million

Result: No. 3 Alabama 24, Auburn 22 (in overtime)

1. Ohio State at Michigan (FOX) – 15.9 million

Result: No. 5 Michigan 42, No. 2 Ohio State 27