College Football TV Ratings: Tracking the Top 10 most-watched teams of the 2026 season

After seeing a 9% increase in minutes viewed in 2025, college football is looking to see TV ratings continue their upward trajectory in 2026. Nielsen has also unveiled its official list of most-watched teams.

Nielsen ranked the Top 10 teams based on average viewership this year. ABC, CBS, The CW, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, NBC, TNT and USA Network are the networks included in the data set. Big Ten Network is not included, nor are partial and regionalized telecasts.

$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage

On3 continues to track college football TV ratings throughout the 2026 season, including the most-watched games of the year. Here are the most-watched teams through Week 3, based on average viewership, according to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel data.

Note: SEC Network, ACC Network and CBS Sports Network do not pay for Nielsen to measure viewership.

1. Texas: 8.643 million

Fueled by the viewership for the victory over Ohio State, Texas sits at No. 2 in first most-watched college football teams list of the year, based on Nielsen TV ratings data. The Longhorns have played in two games on ESPN networks this year – one on ESPN and another on ABC.

Watch on Fubo (Try for Free)

Texas entered the 2026 season with high expectations and jumped up to the No. 1-ranked team in the country after the win over Ohio State. The Longhorns are also one of the most-watched teams in college football through the first quarter of the season.

2. Ohio State: 8.508

Through the first two weeks, Ohio State played in the most-watched game of the season. The Buckeyes’ loss to Texas brought nearly 14 million viewers in Week 2, and they are squarely one of Nielsen’s most-watched teams in the country through Week 3.

Ohio State took an early lead against Texas and had a 20-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter. However, the Longhorns mounted a furious charge to take down the Buckeyes in the most-watched game of the young 2026 season.

3. LSU: 8.495 million

The Lane Kiffin Era has brought a spotlight to LSU to start the 2026 season. The Tigers’ Week 3 game against Ole Miss became the most-watched game of the year to date, and that propelled them to the top spot in Nielsen’s latest most-watched teams list.

SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter

LSU remains one of the biggest stories in college football through Kiffin’s debut season in Baton Rouge. Through Week 3, the Tigers have played in two of the most-watched games of the year as they get ready for another primetime game in Week 4.

4. Wisconsin: 7.421 million

Wisconsin’s Week 1 loss to Notre Dame was the most-watched game of Labor Day weekend. The matchup at Lambeau Field drew more than 7.4 million viewers on NBC, and that figure doesn’t include the 683,000 who watched on Peacock.

That’s the only game the Badgers have played on the networks included in Nielsen’s most-watched college football teams methodology. As a result, they are squarely in the Top 10 after Week 3.

5. Michigan: 6.197 million

Led by the victory over Oklahoma in Week 2, Michigan remains in Nielsen’s first Top 10 most-watched teams ranking of the season. The Wolverines have played in two games on networks that are in the data set: one on FOX and another on NBC.

The Week 2 win over Oklahoma was the second-highest viewership of Week 2, while Michigan’s season-opening win over Western Michigan also brought 4.11 million viewers on average. That helped put the Wolverines squarely in the Top 10.

6. Oklahoma: 5.865 million

Through its first three games, Oklahoma has played in two Nielsen-rated games. That includes the one in Week 2 as the Sooners eventually fell to Michigan at The Big House in Ann Arbor in front of more than 8.2 million viewers.

Oklahoma sits at No. 6 in Nielsen’s updated Top 10 most-watched teams ranking heading into Week 4. The Week 3 game against New Mexico aired on ESPN2, and the Sooners will now square off against Georgia on ESPN this week.

7. Ole Miss: 5.560 million

One of the most anticipated games of the year delivered as the most-watched game of the season through Week 3. Ole Miss took down LSU in Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford in front of nearly 11 million viewers on ABC.

As a result, the Rebels now find themselves at No. 7 in Nielsen’s latest most-watched college football teams ranking. They have another high-profile game awaiting in Week 4 with a trip to Florida coming up on Saturday.

8. Alabama: 5.167 million

Alabama played in one of the Top 10 most-watched games in college football during each of the first three weeks of the year, according to Nielsen TV ratings data. That helped put the Crimson Tide squarely in the Top 10 most-watched teams ranking.

Alabama’s win over Kentucky was a top draw through Week 2 with 7.3 million viewers on ABC. From there, the Week 3 game against Florida State was one of a number of games impacted by weather, which impacted viewership.

9. Kentucky: 5.144 million

Through Week 3, Kentucky has played in two of the most-watched games of the 2026 college football season, according to Nielsen TV ratings data. As a result, the Wildcats are one of the most-watched teams in the country.

Kentucky pulled off one of the big early upsets of the year in a road victory over Texas A&M in Week 3. The game aired on both ABC and ESPN, which might have helped fuel viewership as the Wildcats took down the Aggies at Kyle Field, though Nielsen confirmed it was not a true simulcast.

10. Clemson: 4.650 million

Although the highly anticipated season opener was delayed due to weather, Clemson vs. LSU still became one of the second-most watched game of Week 1. The Tigers now also round out the Top 10 most-watched teams list after Week 3, according to Nielsen.

Clemson vs. LSU brought 5.75 million after the weather delay and the Tigers’ victory over North Carolina brought 3.59 million before weather again got in the way. Still, they’re one of the top draws in college football heading into Week 4.

On3 will continue to update the most-watched teams in college football throughout the 2026 season, according to Nielsen TV ratings data. The data will continue throughout the regular season.