SEC Powerhouse Named the Most Watched College Football Team Through Week 5

Amid reports that college football viewership has gone down over the last year, one powerhouse program sits atop not only the national rankings, but is also dominating the standings when it comes to who is watching what on game day Saturdays.

America’s No. 1 ranked team is still getting the most eyeballs every weekend, topping a list of elite SEC and Big Ten programs when it comes to the most-watched college football teams, according to the latest Nielsen ratings.

College Football’s Most Watched Team

SEC Powerhouse Named the Most Watched College Football Team Through Week 5 — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Once again, that honor falls on Texas.

The burnt orange not only own most of the first-place votes in the latest AP football rankings, but are outdoing the competition when competing for attention, attracting an average of 9.038 million viewers every weekend, Nielsen reported.

Part of that average came from the Longhorns’ inspired 20-point comeback win against then-No. 1 Ohio State back in early September, and was bumped up again recently when Arch Manning led a victory against ranked Tennessee on Rocky Top with the President in attendance.

Who Else Is Getting the Attention?

Sitting in second place is college football powerhouse LSU, garnering plenty of attention as Lane Kiffin embarks on his historic first year as head coach.

Kiffin’s team played in two marquee matchups, dominating Clemson in a 51-10 season opener, and then coming out the wrong end of a close result against Ole Miss, a game stacked with drama as the LSU coach returned, and lost to, the team he left behind.

LSU is averaging around 7.623 million viewers this season, according to Nielsen numbers.

A surprise contender on this list is Wisconsin, which sits third nationally attracting 7.421 million viewers on average. That number was boosted considerably by its season opening loss against Notre Dame, which drew some 7.4 million viewers on NBC.

Which Teams Round out the Rankings?

Big Ten blue bloods Ohio State and Michigan once again are attracting the most attention from that conference. The Buckeyes’ game against Texas and the Wolverines’ win over Oklahoma were must-see TV for fans during those early weeks.

Other than that, it’s an SEC show once again in 2026, with high-profile matchups featuring Ole Miss and Florida, Alabama and Kentucky, and others garnering serious viewership.

1. Texas: 9.038 million
2. LSU: 7.623 million
3. Wisconsin: 7.421 million
4. Ohio State: 6.72 million
5. Ole Miss: 6.235 million
6. Michigan: 5.253 million
7. Kentucky: 5.144 million
8. Florida: 4.957 million
9. Tennessee: 4.878 million
10. Alabama: 4.722 million

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