In the new world of conference realignment in college football, one of the most important numbers may not be the most entertaining to talk about.
That number has to do with TV ratings, and while your everyday fan may not be interested in which schools garner the highest number of people tuning into their games each and every week, it’s a number that may be far more valuable than you could ever believe.
Last summer, it was announced that the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins were jumping ship and leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. It makes sense on their part to leave a smaller conference and go to one of the preeminent leagues in the nation, looking to compete against the best teams while getting a more valuable slice of revenue as well. Part of the reason that the Big Ten wanted the pair of Los Angeles schools is because of the media market they’re in, and the value that they bring when it comes to TV ratings.
Do they bring the most value to the table when it comes to TV ratings in the Pac-12, though?
That answer will change on a year-to-year basis, with ratings obviously fluctuating as teams experience good years and bad years. Of course, some of the best teams, though, are consistently near the top of the charts, both in the conference and on a national scale as well.
Let’s take a look at which teams in the Pac-12 got the biggest TV ratings in 2023.