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It’s official. Coach Prime owns prime time.
Despite kicking off at 10 p.m. in the east and finishing at around 2:30 a.m., the University of Colorado game vs. Colorado State was ESPN’s most watched prime time college football game ever.
The Buffaloes’ 43-35 double overtime win over its in-state rival Colorado State averaged a whopping 9.3 million viewers and peaked at 11.1 million.
Not only was it the most watched prime time game ever on ESPN, it was the most streamed regular season college football game ever, and the fifth most watched college football game, period.
With new coach Deion Sanders at the helm, the Colorado Buffaloes have gone from a 1-11 team in 2022 to 3-0 after his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, led the team on a 98 yard game-tying touchdown drive at Folsom Field to send the game to overtime.
College football fans on social media were understandably blown away by the Buffaloes’ viewership numbers.
“Imagine saying this 1 year ago today. That Colorado vs Colorado st would be 5th most all time in views on RECORD in CFB,” read one comment.
If you’re wondering why every sports outlet is covering this team endlessly, here’s your answer https://t.co/0UR7qBTbue
— Alfred F Kennedy Jr 🟧Vols🟧🇺🇸 (@GHRadio_Mavrick) September 19, 2023
“If USC and Colorado are undefeated going into that game… the numbers for that game are going to be insane,” read another comment.
Imagine if you had it on at a reasonable hour.
— Gulf Golfer (@gulf_golfer) September 19, 2023
“Most of us on the East coast fell asleep with the TV on so we kinda watched but not really,” another fan wrote.
How many were passed out on the couch tho 😆
— Rhuler of Husker Nation (@RHULEROFNEB) September 19, 2023
“9.3 million for a 10:30pm ET kickoff?!?! That’s absolutely absurd. People can attempt to ‘yeah, but’ this as much as they want. These numbers are absolutely wild,” someone else shot back.