When USC and UCLA announced in June 2022 that they would be joining the Big Ten, there was no shortage of questions about the impending move. Namely, why were two schools in Los Angeles linking up with a league that didn’t have a member west of Lincoln, Nebraska?
Last Saturday, one data point in a much larger answer was offered. As it turns out, when there are more opportunities for two of college football’s preeminent brands to play, more people are going to watch.
Michigan’s 27-24 victory against USC in the Trojans’ Big Ten debut had 6.3 million viewers on CBS, making it the network’s most-watched Week 4 game in 10 years. It was also the most-streamed September game ever for Paramount+.
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The matchup had significant interest, with both teams ranked in the top 20 of the major national polls and the two prestigious programs being two of the 10 leaders in all-time victories at the FBS level.
The game aired in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot that for decades was occupied by the SEC, but is now part of the Big Ten’s seven-year, $7 billion media rights deal with CBS, Fox and NBC.
The Wolverines’ win, which peaked at 10 million viewers, saw a 37% increase over last season’s Week 4 game, No. 12 Alabama’s 24-10 victory against No. 16 Ole Miss.
With the win, Michigan improved to 3-1 under first-year head coach Sherrone Moore and jumped five spots in the US LBM Coaches Poll, from No. 17 to No. 12.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan-USC delivers largest CBS Week 4 college football audience in 10 years
