Purdue Among Most Watched College Basketball Teams This Season

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Purdue is among the most-watched teams in college basketball this season. The Boilermakers ranked in the top 10 of most-viewed games through Dec. 22, 2025, according to a report from Nielsen.
When it comes to the most-watched teams in college football this year, Purdue ranks No. 10 on the list. It ranks third in the Big Ten, with Michigan State at No. 1 and Indiana at No. 8.
Here's the complete top 10 list, which was released by Nielsen last week:
- Michigan State Spartans
- Arkansas Razorbacks
- Duke Blue Devils
- North Carolina Tar Heels
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Louisville Cardinals
- Indiana Hoosiers
- UConn Huskies
- Purdue Boilermakers
Data was collected from the following networks to create the list: CBS, CW, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, USA, TruTV, and TNT.
Purdue is obviously one of the top teams in the country, a big reason why so many people are interested in watching the Boilermakers. But they have also played in a number of marquee games this season, taking on opponents like No. 3 Iowa State, No. 15 Alabama, and No. 16 Texas Tech.
With Purdue entering Big Ten play and taking on even better opponents in the coming weeks, there's a good chance the Boilermakers continue to rise in the Nielsen TV ratings throughout the season.
What is Nielsen?
From its website: "Nielsen is a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their global audiences—now and into the future."
Purdue concludes non-conference play

On Monday, Purdue concluded non-conference play with a 101-60 victory over Kent State. The Boilermakers improved to 12-1 on the season and went 10-1 in non-conference action, with the lone loss coming to Iowa State.
Purdue jumps back into conference play on Saturday, traveling to Madison to play Wisconsin. Then, the Boilers return to Mackey Arena for a three-game home stretch, hosting Washington (Jan. 7), Penn State (Jan. 10), and Iowa (Jan. 14).
The Boilermakers are chasing a third Big Ten title in the last four seasons. They currently own a 2-0 record in conference play, beating Rutgers and Minnesota in December.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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