National Title Games, 1985-2023 TV Ratings

Viewership trend for college football's national championship, dating back to the days of the Bowl Coalition: pic.twitter.com/ZiPjqSXtBV

— Sports Media Watch (@paulsen_smw) January 10, 2024

 Great find by ACC Football RX

National Title Games, 1985-2023

Here are the TV ratings for all college football national championship games from January 1986 to January 2023:

SEASON	DATE	BOWL	GAME		NET	RATING	Vwrs(M)
2022-23	Mon, 1/9/23	CFP	UGA	TCU	ESPN	8.7	17.223
2021-22	Mon, 1/10/22	CFP	UGA	Ala	ESPN	12.1	22.563
2020-21	Mon, 1/11/21	CFP	Ala	OSU	ESPN	10.3	18.653
2019-20	Mon, 1/13/20	CFP	LSU	Clem	ESPN	14.3	25.588
2018-19	Mon, 1/7/19	CFP	Clem	Ala	ESPN	13.8	25.28
2017-18	Mon, 1/8/18	CFP	Ala	UGA	ESPN	15.6	28.443
2016-17	Mon, 1/9/17	CFP	Clem	Ala	ESPN	14.2	25.266
2015-16	Mon, 1/11/16	CFP	Ala	Clem	ESPN	15.0	26.182
2014-15	Mon, 1/12/15	CFP	OSU	Ore	ESPN	18.6	34.148
SEASON	DATE	BOWL	GAME		NET	RATING	Vwrs(M)
2013-14	Mon., 1/6/14	BCS	FSU	Aub	ESPN	14.8	26.205
2012-13	Mon., 1/7/13	BCS	Ala	ND	ESPN	15.1	26.38
2011-12	Mon., 1/9/12	BCS	Ala	LSU	ESPN	14.0	24.214
2010-11	Mon., 1/10/11	BCS	Aub	Ore	ESPN	15.3	27.316
2009-10	Thu., 1/7/10	BCS	Ala	Tex	ABC	17.2	30.776
2008-09	Thu., 1/8/10	BCS	Fla	OU	FOX	15.8	26.767
2009-10	Thu., 1/7/10	BCS	ALA 37	TEX 21	ABC	17.2	30.776
2008-09	Thu., 1/8/09	BCS	UF 24	OK 14	FOX	15.8	26.767
2007-08	Tue., 1/7/08	BCS	LSU 38	OSU 24	FOX	14.4	23.069
2006-07	Mon., 1/8/07	BCS	UF 41	OSU 14	FOX	17.4	28.795
SEASON	DATE	BOWL	GAME		NET	RATING	Vwrs(M)
2005-06	Wed., 1/4/06	Rose	TEX 41	USC 38	ABC	21.7	35.630
2004-05	Tue., 1/4/05	Orange	USC 55	OK 19	ABC	13.7	21.419
2003-04	Sun., 1/4/04	Sugar	LSU 21	OK 14	ABC	14.8	23.937
	Thu., 1/1/04	Rose	USC 28	MICH 14	ABC	14.3	23.871
2002-03	Fri., 1/3/03	Fiesta	OSU 31	MIA 24	ABC	17.2	29.104
2001-02	Thu., 1/3/02	Rose	MIA 37	NEB 14	ABC	13.8	21.559
2000-01	Wed., 1/3/01	Orange	OK 13	FSU 2	ABC	17.8	27.240
1999-00	Tue., 1/4/00	Sugar	FSU 46	VT 29	ABC	17.5	26.962
1998-99	Mon., 1/4/99	Fiesta	TEN 23	FSU 16	ABC	17.2	26.112
SEASON	DATE	BOWL	GAME		NET	RATING	Vwrs(M)
1997-98	Fri., 1/2/98	Orange	NEB 42	TEN 17	CBS	13.3	n/a
	Thu., 1/1/98	Rose	MICH 21	WSU 16	ABC	17.6	n/a
1996-97	Thu., 1/2/97	Sugar	UF 52	FSU 20	ABC	17.9	n/a
1995-96	Tue., 1/2/96	Fiesta	NEB 62	UF 24	CBS	18.8	n/a
1994-95	Sun., 1/1/95	Orange	NEB 24	MIA 17	NBC	11.4	n/a
1993-94	Sat., 1/1/94	Orange	FSU 18	NEB 16	NBC	17.8	n/a
1992-93	Fri., 1/1/93	Sugar	ALA 34	MIA 13	ABC	18.2	n/a
1991-92	Wed., 1/1/92	Rose	WSH 34	MICH 14	ABC	15.4	n/a
		Orange	MIA 22	NEB 0	NBC	11.0	n/a
1990-91	Tue., 1/1/91	Orange	COL 10	ND 9	NBC	18.3	n/a
		Citrus	GT 45	NEB 21	ABC	9.7	n/a
1989-90	Mon., 1/1/90	Sugar	MIA 33	ALA 25	ABC	7.4	n/a
1988-89	Mon., 1/2/89	Fiesta	ND 34	WVU 21	NBC	17.0	n/a
1987-88	Fri., 1/1/88	Orange	MIA 20	OK 14	NBC	20.8	n/a
1986-87	Mon., 1/2/87	Fiesta	PSU 14	MIA 10	NBC	24.9	n/a
1985-86	Wed., 1/1/86	Orange	OK 25	PSU 10	NBC	21.3	n/a