College football is never in short supply of viewers. From opening weekend through bowl season and culminating with the College Football Playoff semifinals and national championship game, the bigger the game, the higher the rating.
The Rose Bowl semifinal matchup between No. 1 Michigan and No. 4 Alabama drew more ratings than the subsequent national championship bout between the Wolverines and No. 2 Washington. That’s not surprising, considering the name-brand status that Alabama and Michigan carry, to say nothing of the Rose Bowl setting itself.
Some recent data from Football Scoop’s Zach Barnett shines a light on the most-watched college football games of the 2023 season, including a pair that involved Clemson.
The Tigers had two appearances in a list of the 101 most-watched games of the 2023 season.
Not surprisingly, the Tigers’ 31-24 overtime loss to Florida State in week four (Sept. 23) was the school’s most-watched broadcast of the season, with an estimated 6.71 million viewers flocked to ESPN. Overall, it was the 32nd most-watched game of the season.
The Tigers’ other appearance in the top 100 was its Monday night loss to Duke on Labor Day weekend to open the season. Big underdogs entering the game, Duke surprised the college football world with a 28-7 upset.
Clemson vs. Duke placed 58th on the list of most-watched games for 2023, with an estimated 4.39 million viewers.
Florida State was the most watched of any ACC program in 2023. Eight of the Seminoles’ games placed in the top 100, tied with Washington.