Clemson's last-second win over Alabama in last night's CFP Championship delivered a combined 15.3 overnight rating for the "megacast" across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, down 4% from the same matchup last year. Clemson-Alabama this year also is down 19% from the inaugural Ohio State-Oregon CFP finale in '15, which also had ESPNews as part of its "megacast." The '14 BCS National Championship, which aired solely on ESPN, drew a 15.3 overnight for Florida State-Auburn. Despite a year-over-year decline, last night's game will still likely rank among ESPN's six most-watched telecasts on record for all sports. Home markets for both teams saw local ratings drop for the CFP rematch. Birmingham drew a 53.6 local rating, tops among all markets, but down from a 59.2 last year. Greenville-Spartanburg again ranked No. 2 with a 35.1 local rating, but that also was down from a 39.0 last year. Atlanta, Nashville and Knoxville again repeated as markets ranked No. 3-5 for the CFP finale. Despite the drop for the finale, ESPN's three games as part of the CFP averaged a 12.7 overnight, which is up 8% from last year. That increase was aided by the semifinals falling on a weekend this year vs. a weekday last year. WatchESPN also saw 2.4 million unique viewers for last night's game, setting a college football record for the streaming platform (
Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OVERNIGHT RATINGS TREND
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YEAR
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NETWORK(S)
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MATCHUP
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OVERNIGHT
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'17
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ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
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Clemson-Alabama
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15.3
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'16
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ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
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Alabama-Clemson
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16.0
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'15
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ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPNews
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Ohio State-Oregon
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18.9
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'14
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ESPN
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Florida State-Auburn
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15.3
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'13
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ESPN
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Alabama-Notre Dame
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15.7
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'12
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ESPN
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Alabama-LSU
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13.8
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'11
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ESPN
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Auburn-Oregon
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16.1
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TWO OF A KIND: In Tampa, Marc Topkin writes ESPN's Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit "got better as the game did, providing more inside information and analysis, specifically as the momentum, and the lead, kept changing in the final moments." Herbstreit's words, and on-screen diagramming, "showed how and why things were happening." Fowler and Herbstreit early in the broadcast were "relatively quick to identify how uncomfortable Clemson QB Deshaun Watson looked against the Alabama defense" (
TAMPA BAY TIMES, 1/10). SI.com's Richard Deitsch writes Fowler "delivered an excellent call" of Clemson WR Hunter Renfrow’s third-quarter touchdown, while Herbstreit "diagnosed how Alabama cornerback Hootie Jones knocked safety Tony Brown off his coverage." ESPN Coordinating Producer Bill Bonnell also "provided two great iso replays on the pass interference call on [WR] Mike Williams with six seconds left prior to Clemson’s game-winning score." Bonnell and director Derek Mobley were on their "A-game in the final minutes." Fowler also was "on top of his game on Clemson’s final drive when he recognized Clemson was taking a lot of time, as well as on the final play of the game" (
SI.com, 1/10). In Cleveland, Marc Bona notes Fowler pointed out Alabama's third-quarter touchdown catch by TE O.J. Howard was the "longest pass play Clemson allowed all season," and "moments later Herbstreit showed why the tight end was so open." Fowler was "quick with pertinent stats all night," and Herbstreit deserves credit for "predicting Watson would pooch-punt on fourth and one in the third quarter" (
Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 1/10). NBC's
Mike Tirico tweeted, "Congrats to my guys @cbfowler and @KirkHerbstreit great job last night w another classic." ESPN's
Brad Gilbert: "Tremendous job last night calling Tigers win vs Roll Tide @cbfowler now time for the quick turnaround and focus on @AustralianOpen." Pro Football Talk's
Darin Gantt: "Herbstreit’s casual acceptance of that headhunting clothesline ('Set the tone!') feels so dirty, but he doesn’t seem to mind at all."
MEGA MILLIONS: SI.com's Deitsch notes last night saw ESPN at its "very best with its Megacast broadcast," as it was "superbly done." ESPN "offered more than 14 alternative broadcasts," and the Homers telecast on ESPN2 was "oddly very compelling." Joe Tessitore and Adam Amin are "quality broadcasters and seeing (key word) them call the game from the field was particularly interesting." Former Clemson QB Tajh Boyd and former Alabama G Barrett Jones also "offered interesting analysis amid the expected rah-rah." The "best moments of the Coaches Film Room were the conversations that broke out when the game went to break." That feed had "limited commercials and that’s when you could really get a sense of the knowledge." The Finebaum Film Room broadcast was also "tight" and the "analysis sharp." Analysts Greg McElroy and Booger McFarland were "honest about Alabama" prior to QB Jalen Hurts’ touchdown run late in the fourth quarter (SI.com, 1/10). The TAMPA BAY TIMES' Topkin writes there was "legit, interesting analysis in the 'Coaches Film Room,' such as how the effectiveness of Alabama's offensive scheming was seen in the eyes of some confused Clemson defenders." The presentation "needs some focus, though, such as a moderator," and the room "needed some energy" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 1/10). Atlanta-based WAGA-Fox' Justin Felder wrote, "Love the coaches' film room on ESPN News. ... we're all talking about algebra, they're talking astrophysics" (TWITTER.com, 1/9).
YOU'RE PLAYING FOR THE ULTIMATE PRIZE: Basketball HOFer Bill Walton was part of ESPNU’s "ESPN Voices" feed, and USA TODAY's Andrew Joseph noted Walton "wore an Uncle Sam outfit" during the broadcast. He also "apparently was in the middle of a rant about marijuana right as ESPNU returned from a commercial break" at one point (USATODAY.com, 1/9). BLEACHER REPORT's Rivea Ruff wrote Walton's "typical colorful antics really kicked into gear" when Michelle Beadle "made an offhand comment about taking her antioxidants to live to an old age." Walton then "chimed in and told her to stop by his room later on for his own personal remedy." Beadle: "That's the most action I've gotten in months" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 1/9). SI.com's Extra Mustard created a compilation of Walton's "best moments" from the broadcast (SI.com, 1/10).
