The highly anticipated College Football Playoff national championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame delivered thrilling drama but couldn’t quite match the lofty viewership heights of last season’s title tilt. The Buckeyes’ 34-23 triumph over the Fighting Irish averaged 22.1 million viewers on ESPN’s networks Monday night, a 12% decrease from the 25 million who watched Michigan defeat Washington for the 2024 championship.
While Ohio State’s win still easily ranked as the most-watched non-NFL sporting event of the past year, the audience drop-off continues a recent trend of diminished interest in the CFP championship game when the contest isn’t competitive until late in the proceedings. The Buckeyes held a commanding 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter before a spirited Notre Dame rally made things interesting in the final minutes.
Blowouts Dampen CFP Title Game Viewership
Monday night’s title bout marked the third time in the past five years that the CFP championship failed to crack 23 million viewers, with the other two instances also featuring lopsided scores for most of the game. Alabama’s 52-24 demolition of Ohio State in 2021 drew just 18.7 million sets of eyeballs, followed by Georgia’s historic 65-7 beatdown of TCU in 2023 attracting a CFP title game record-low 17.2 million viewers.
By contrast, the high-water mark for CFP championship viewership remains the inaugural installment in 2015, when Ohio State’s 42-20 victory over Oregon pulled in a whopping 33.9 million viewers. Every title game since has seen at least a 25% audience decline from that first edition, with the last seven CFP championships decided by an average margin of 25.4 points.
First Year of 12-Team Playoff Sees Mixed Results
The 2025 College Football Playoff marked the first season under the new 12-team format, expanding the field from the original four teams. While the first round and quarterfinal games posted solid viewership numbers, the semifinals on New Year’s Day actually saw a 17% year-over-year dip to 19.2 million viewers per game.
That semifinal slide may have foreshadowed the championship game decline, though the quirk of Michigan playing on both Jan. 1 and Jan. 12 could have split the Wolverines’ viewership a bit. Their Rose Bowl overtime win over Alabama drew an impressive 27.7 million viewers, significantly more than watched Michigan in the national title game.
“The expanded playoff has been successful in terms of bringing more teams and fanbases into the mix, but it’s fair to wonder if the longer event schedule risks some fatigue by the time we reach the championship.”
– Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff
Despite the mixed early returns, ESPN undoubtedly remains bullish on the CFP’s future as a premium sports property. The network is in the midst of a 12-year, $7.3 billion deal to televise the event through the 2025 season. Monday night’s title game may have been the most-watched broadcast in the network’s history.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season
With the confetti barely cleaned up from Ohio State’s championship celebration, betting markets have already installed the Buckeyes and Texas as the early favorites to win next year’s CFP title. Monday night’s thrilling finish and the Longhorns’ return to prominence both bode well for a potential ratings rebound in 2026.
- Ohio State seeks to defend its crown with Heisman hopeful QB Drake Munoz leading a dynamic offense.
- Texas looks to break through and win its first national title since 2005 behind phenom RB Jaydon Blue.
While the 12-team playoff picture remains somewhat murky, the intrigue surrounding the Buckeyes’ repeat bid and the Longhorns’ title hopes should drive plenty of buzz heading into next fall. If we’re treated to a championship clash between those two storied programs, expect the CFP viewership numbers to soar back toward record heights.
