The Most Viewed Games of the 2024 BYU Football Season

After dominating Colorado in the Alamo Bowl, BYU finished the 2024 season with an 11-2 record and ranked no. 13 in the final AP poll. Today, we're going over the most viewed games of BYU's 2024 season.

BYU-Colorado 8.00 million viewers

A record-setting audience watched BYU dismantle Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. BYU-Colorado averaged 8.0 million viewers, the most of any BYU game in the modern era. It was also the largest tv audience for the Alamo Bowl in the 32-year history of the game. Last but not least, it was the most viewed non CFP/NY6 game since the 2019 Citrus Bowl.

According to BYU associate director of communications Duff Tittle, it is believed to be the second most watched BYU game ever. In 1953, BYU played Utah in a game that was believed to be watched by more than 60 million people.

Here at BYU On SI, we have tracked television ratings dating back to the start of the independence era. Here are the 10 most viewed BYU football games since 2012:

2024 Colorado - 8.00M viewers
2013 Washington - 3.75M viewers
2012 Notre Dame - 3.70M viewers
2015 Utah - 3.68M viewers
2016 Michigan State - 3.25M viewers
2021 UAB - 3.22M viewers
2019 Washington - 3.15M viewers
2015 Nebraska - 3.13M viewers
2015 Michigan - 3.07M viewers
2018 Wisconsin - 2.91M viewers

BYU-Colorado more than doubled the next largest audience since 2012.

BYU-Utah: 2.07 million viewers

BYU kicker Will Ferrin celebrates with fans after making game-winning kick against Utah | BYU Photo

BYU played in some dramatic games in 2024, but perhaps none were more dramatic than BYU-Utah. The Cougars overcame a double-digit deficit to defeat archrival Utah with a go-ahead field goal in the final seconds.

BYU-Kansas: 1.75 million viewers

When Kansas was giving 9-0 and no. 6 BYU a game, a lot of casual college football fans tuned into watch. 1.75 million viewers is a good number for the late-night ESPN window.

BYU-Oklahoma State: 1.66 million viewers

Not only was BYU-Oklahoma State the most viewed BYU game of the season up to that point, it was also the most viewed game on ESPN in the late Friday night window up to that point in the season.

BYU-Oklahoma State: 1.66 million
TCU-Houston: 1.51 million
TCU-Stanford: 1.49 million
Stanford-Syracuse: 1.37 million
Utah-Arizona State: 1.29 million

BYU-Houston: 1.56 million viewers

The postseason implications of BYU-Houston made for an above average audience in the late-night ESPN window. This game determined the participants in the Big 12 title game.

BYU-Kansas State: 1.50 million viewers

BYU-Kansas State was one of the most viewed BYU game of the season. BYU-Kansas State was the third most viewed Big 12 game that weekend behind Colorado-Baylor (3.64M) and Utah-Oklahoma State (2.14M).

BYU-Arizona State: 1.31 million viewers

BYU wide receiver Jojo Phillips against Arizona State | BYU Photo

BYU-Arizona State turned out to be the pseudo Big 12 championship game. 1.31 million viewers watched the Sun Devils edge the Cougars.

BYU-Arizona: 1.31 million viewers

BYU's convincing win over Arizona was the third most viewed BYU game of the 2024 season. The game was aired on FOX in a good TV window and averaged 1.31 million viewers, but it was up against some stiff competition in Texas-Oklahoma, Penn State-USC, and Notre Dame-Stanford. Due to the competitive nature of that window last weekend, BYU-Arizona was the least viewed FOX afternoon game up to that point in the season.

BYU-UCF: 1.24 million viewers

BYU-UCF had the 3:30 PM Eastern kickoff on ESPN. 1.24 million viewers watched the Cougars dominate the Knights to improve to 8-0.

BYU-SMU: 917k viewers

BYU's upset win at SMU wasn't a nationally recognized game at the time. But with the benefit of hindsight, it should have been. BYU and SMU were in contention for the Big 12 and ACC championships, respectively. BYU-SMU tallied 917k average viewers.

BYU-Baylor: 428k viewers

BYU-Baylor played in the early morning FS1 window which doesn't typically pull great ratings. Relative to other games in that window, BYU-Baylor performed really well.