5 College Football Teams That Have Ruled the TV Ratings in 2026

Nielsen's average-viewer rankings through Week 4 show ABC carried each of the season's four most-watched games, with SEC teams holding three of the top five spots.

A detail view of ESPN College Football logo on a TV camera | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas has turned its 4-0 start into the biggest average TV audience in college football, as the Longhorns lead Nielsen's list of the most-watched teams of the 2026 season through Week 4.

Texas is averaging 9.038 million viewers per qualifying game, according to Nielsen's Big Data + Panel data. LSU (7.623 million), Wisconsin (7.421 million), Ohio State (6.960 million) and Ole Miss (6.235 million) round out the top five.

Nielsen only counts games on ABC, CBS, The CW, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, NBC, TNT and USA Network. So Big Ten Network games don't count, and neither do partial or regional broadcasts. Also, SEC Network, ACC Network and CBS Sports Network games aren't measured.

The order has shifted since our look at the most-watched teams through Week 3, when Texas, Ohio State and LSU were separated by fewer than 150,000 viewers.

Texas and LSU top TV ratings

Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) celebrates after a college football game against Tennessee | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns have played in two of the three most-watched games of the season. Their 24-23 comeback win over Ohio State on Sept. 12 drew 13.99 million viewers on ABC, the top mark of 2026. However, that was down from the 16.6 million who watched the same matchup on FOX last season.

Texas trailed 23-3 entering the fourth quarter before running back Hollywood Smothers ran for two scores, including the game-winner.

Two weeks later, Texas won 20-17 at Tennessee in the most-watched game of Week 4, which drew 9.75 million viewers on ABC. The Longhorns (4-0) are off this week before they face Oklahoma in Dallas.

LSU ranks second in head coach Lane Kiffin's first season in Baton Rouge. The Tigers' Week 1 win over Clemson drew 5.75 million viewers despite a weather delay, and their 32-24 loss at Ole Miss drew 10.9 million in Week 3. LSU added 5.71 million for its Week 4 win over Texas A&M, the top prime-time game of the week.

Where do Wisconsin, Ohio State rank?

Ohio State Buckeyes fans cheer during the college football game against the Illinois Fighting Illini | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin is No. 3 despite playing only one game on a network Nielsen counts. The Badgers lost 41-13 to Notre Dame at Lambeau Field on Sept. 6 in the most-watched game of Labor Day weekend.

That game drew 7.42 million viewers on NBC, and another 683,000 streamed it on Peacock, which Nielsen's average leaves out.

Ohio State is No. 4 at 6.960 million per game after the loss in Austin. Since then, home wins over Kent State (2.72 million on FOX) and Illinois (3.69 million on FOX) have pulled the Buckeyes' average down. Also, their opener against Ball State aired on Big Ten Network, so it doesn't count.

Ole Miss rounds out top five

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) walks off the field during a timeout against the Florida Gators | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss is fifth at 6.235 million viewers per game. The Rebels have played in two of the season's four most-watched games, and ABC aired both.

First, the Rebels beat LSU 32-24 at home in Kiffin's first trip back to Oxford since he left for Baton Rouge. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for the game-winning score with 6:14 left.

A week later, Ole Miss lost at Florida in a game that drew 8.29 million viewers on ABC.

ABC aired each of the season's four most-watched games. Tennessee, Michigan, Florida, Kentucky and Alabama fill spots No. 6 through No. 10 in Nielsen's rankings.