The College Football Playoff (CFP) is set for its highly anticipated semifinal matchups this week, with a spotlight on the expanded postseason’s inaugural TV ratings. This year’s 12-team bracket has drawn strong viewership, with the first-ever quarterfinals averaging 16.9 million viewers on ESPN platforms, following an average of 10.6 million for the first-round games aired on ESPN and TNT Sports. Across all eight CFP games to date, the average audience stands at 13.75 million viewers.
Next up, ESPN will bring its signature “MegaCast” approach to the semifinals: Notre Dame vs. Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night and Ohio State vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night. Both games aim to rival or exceed last year’s CFP semifinal ratings, which averaged 23.2 million viewers. Notably, the Michigan–Alabama Rose Bowl attracted 27.7 million viewers, outperforming the 25 million who tuned in for the Michigan–Washington national championship game.
Schedule and Controversy
The Orange Bowl will proceed as planned, despite SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s request to flip the semifinal games due to a one-day delay for the Sugar Bowl, now set for Jan. 2. Sankey expressed concerns over Notre Dame’s perceived disadvantage, as Penn State had two extra days of rest after their Fiesta Bowl win over Boise State on New Year’s Eve. Notre Dame defeated SEC champion Georgia last week.
Financial Stakes
Notre Dame stands to earn an additional $6 million in bonus money from the CFP, as the school retains 100% of its revenue distribution as an independent, unlike conference-affiliated schools that share their payouts among member institutions. The Fighting Irish have already secured $14 million, matching what Penn State, Ohio State, and Texas have each earned for their respective conferences, the Big Ten and SEC.
With high stakes on the field and in the ratings, fans are ready for kickoff in this groundbreaking CFP season.
