Crimson Tide and Sooners Draw Record Viewership Numbers in College Football Playoff

Last Friday, the Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 34-24 in Norman, Oklahoma, in a 17-point comeback on the road. The victory over Oklahoma will send Alabama to the Rose Bowl, where the Crimson Tide will face the No. 1 seed, Indiana, on January 1, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. CT.

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The Tide's comeback drew record CFP viewership numbers, with an average of 14.9 million viewers watching Alabama's comeback versus Oklahoma. 14.9 million viewers was the highest average for the first round of the College Football Playoff. The Tide and the Sooners peaked at 16.4 million viewers, which was the second-highest of the weekend, behind a peak of 19.3 million for Miami and Texas A&M.

According to ESPN PR, Alabama's matchup with Oklahoma was the most-watched CFP First Round game on record, and weas the fifth most-watched college football game of the 2025-26 season. The 14.8 million viewers for Miami and Texas A&M was the sixth-most-watched game of the season.

It was a dominant viewership weekend for the SEC, with Oklahoma and Texas A&M both hosting playoff games in the first round. While the SEC had two teams lose in the first weekend, it will still have three teams in the quarterfinals, as Alabama nd Ole Miss both advanced, while Georgia had a bye. The SEC is guaranteed at least one team in the Semifinals, with Ole Miss slated to play Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2026.

Alabama will face Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Thursday, January 1, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT.

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Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.