We’re more than halfway through the 2026 college football season, and as expected, some teams have drawn more viewers than others.
That’s what happens when prominent teams get primetime matchups on the best channels.
MORE: LSU’s Lane Kiffin supports 24-team College Football Playoff
On Thursday, Nielsen revealed that Texas is the most-watched team through the first eight weeks of the season. It shouldn’t surprise anyone since the program has played in some big games.
The Longhorns game against the Oklahoma Sooners is still one of the year’s most-watched games, as is the one against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Heck, Texas just beat Ole Miss in primetime last Saturday, and it was the most-watched game of the week with 8.1 million viewers.
The rest of the list

Ohio State is second on the list, followed by Oklahoma, Indiana and Alabama. Ole Miss, Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee and LSU round out the top 10.
Many of these teams are among the best in the country and have some of the most fans, so like Texas in the top spot, the members of this list aren’t unexpected.
NEW: Most-watched College Football teams through Week 8📺
(via @nielsen) https://t.co/lXDa3GUyOBpic.twitter.com/ZV72TZxMwx— On3 NIL (@On3NIL) October 29, 2026
These rankings can and will change by the end of the season, especially with the College Football Playoff on the horizon.
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Source: Yahoo Sports







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