ARLINGTON, Texas — Ohio State’s victory in the first championship game of the College Football Playoff produced ESPN’s highest overnight rating ever.
The network said Tuesday that according to Nielsen the Buckeyes’ 42-20 win over Oregon generated an 18.5 overnight rating.
That’s a 21 percent increase over the 2014 BCS national championship on ESPN between Florida and Auburn, which drew a 15.3 rating.
Monday night’s title game also topped the 16.1 overnight rating for the 2011 BCS championship between Auburn and Oregon that had been the previous best in cable history.
Columbus, Ohio, was the No. 1 overall market at 51.2. Portland, Oregon, was fourth at 37.6.
Overnight ratings measure the country’s largest markets. The rating is the percentage of all homes with TVs, whether or not they are in use. Final ratings are to come later Tuesday.
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