Business of Sports · College Sports · RATINGS
College Football’s Average TV Audience Is Down 11% Through October
Nielsen-rated FBS broadcasts averaged 1.6 million viewers per game through nine weeks, while total minutes viewed rose 2%.
FBS game broadcasts averaged 1.6 million viewers across Nielsen-rated networks through the first nine weeks of the 2026 season, down 11% from the comparable 2025 period, according to Nielsen data supplied to Front Office Sports.
The November 4 report covered 402 eligible games this season, compared with 410 a year earlier. The figure measures the average audience per game through October, rather than the number of people who watched any college football during the period.
A separate measure moved in the other direction. Total minutes viewed were up 2% through nine weeks, according to Fox Sports executive Michael Mulvihill. Total viewing time and the average audience for an individual broadcast describe different aspects of consumption.
The per-game average had also been down 11% through September, when broadcasts averaged 1.7 million viewers. October therefore left the reported percentage decline unchanged while bringing more games into the season sample.
The latest figures cover Nielsen-rated networks and eligible FBS broadcasts. They do not establish an 11% decline in all college football viewing or in total minutes watched.
