The Third Saturday in October was No. 1 in CBS’s viewing audience this season, the television network announced Tuesday.
The Crimson Tide-Volunteer showdown averaged 11.557 million viewers and peaked with close to 17 million. That marks a 145% increase from last year’s game and is the largest audience to watch the rivalry, according to viewership records dating back to 1987.
The viewership numbers also represent the most-watched game for CBS since the 2019 Alabama-LSU showdown.
Three of the top five most-viewed games this season have included the Crimson Tide. The second-most viewed game was the Alabama-Texas game in September (10.6 million viewers), and the other was Alabama-Texas A&M (7.15 million).
In 2020, the SEC and ESPN struck a deal that would move the premier conference’s Saturday slate from CBS to ESPN. The move will serve as a heavy blow to CBS as they will fill the void left by the SEC with the Big10.
According to SportsMediaWatch, the SEC has participated in seven of the nine most-watched games of the season. The Big10 has only drawn a top eleven audience twice thus far. Additionally, the SEC on CBS has drawn the most viewers in each of the five weeks they have aired a game.
The SEC/ESPN deal will go into effect ahead of the 2024 college football season.
Ben Richardson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News.
By Wayne Hester
Verne Lundquist will be four days shy of 53 years in broadcasting on Sept. 3 when CBS televises the UCLA at Texas A&M game.
“Verne is a legend in this business,” said his partner Gary Danielson. “I am thankful to have had the opportunity to sit next to him calling SEC games.”
CBS has had the highest ratings for college football for the past 10 years, and Lundquist plans to make his last year all about the game.
“Verne has never wanted to be the story of any broadcast,” said CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus. “He has always wanted the game, the players and the coaches to be the story.”
Lundquist, Danielson, McManus and studio host Rick Neuheisel were on a conference call with the media Thursday as CBS approaches its 16th year of covering the SEC.
Lundquist remembered the year 2000, when coach Mike Dubose’s Alabama team finished 3-8.
“We’re light years removed from that Alabama team,” Lundquist said.
“When they got Nick Saban, the world changed.”
McManus let the media in on a change coming to CBS broadcasts this season. He said viewers should be prepared for graphics having a “slick new modern look.”
And Garth Brooks “is going to customize a song for us,” McManus added.
Danielson was asked about Lundquist, and he answered with high praise.
“I think he has been as important to the SEC as Bear Bryant,” Danielson said.
“Verne always finds the goodness in the game with the players and coaches he interviews.”
Other takeaways from the conference call:
• Lundquist on preparing for a game: “You can’t shortcut it. If you do, you’ll be found out.”
• Danielson: “I’ve had what I consider four, five, six dear friends in my life. People come up in the booth and hug Verne and call him their dear friend – hundreds of them.”
• Verne on his successor, Brad Nessler: “I’ve known Brad for more than 30 years and have always admired his work ethic and his on-air presence. He shares the same passion for college football that I do.”
• Neuheisel’s four picks for the College Football Playoff: Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Clemson.