Coach Prime is must-see TV, and the ratings are backing that up.
According to a release from ESPN, Colorado's 43-35 victory against Colorado State in Week 3 drew 9.3 million viewers. That shattered the record for the most-watched late-night college football game on the network.
How long will the show go on? First-year coach Deion Sanders led the Buffaloes to a 3-0 start, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders is in the Heisman Trophy discussion. No. 19 Colorado has become the most-watched team in college football despite a 1-11 record in 2022, and it faces No. 10 Oregon on Saturday on ABC.
🔥 @CUBuffsFootball's comeback thriller registers 𝟗.𝟑 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 19, 2023
🏈ESPN’s 5th most-watched CFB game on record
🏈Shatters previous ESPN late prime window viewership high
🏈@ESPNCFB's most-streamed regular season game of all time pic.twitter.com/his917lb0F
The "Prime Effect" is real. A look inside those television numbers heading into Week 4, and how Colorado has become the most-watched team in college football in 2023.
MORE: Shedeur Sanders channels Tom Brady, John Elway with clutch 98-yard drive
How high were Colorado-Colorado State TV ratings?
The matchup – which had a peak of 11.1 million viewers – is the most-watched game of the 2023 season and the most-streamed college football game of all time.
Colorado-Colorado State also had a 4.9 Nielsen rating according to Sports Media Watch – the most of any game this season.
That was in the late-night television window for ESPN with the 10 p.m. ET kickoff. It's an astounding nod to the impact of Sanders on Colorado.
Want to hear an amazing Colorado-CSU TV stat?
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) September 19, 2023
At 2:15amET, the game still registered 8.230 million viewers - an audience that was more than 1 million viewers bigger than the peak audience of any other CFB game this week.
Most watched college football games of 2023
Sports Media Watch tracks television ratings and viewers for college football games. Through three weeks, a total of 10 games have drawn a 2.0 or better Nielsen rating.
Colorado has three of the five-most watched games. The opener against TCU drew 7.26 million viewers, and that number increased to 8.73 million viewers in Week 2 against Nebraska.
Most watched college football games: Weeks 1-3
| RANK | GAME | WEEK | RATING | VIEWERS (millions) |
| 1 | Colorado-Colorado State | 3 | 4.9 | 9.3 |
| 2 | Florida State-LSU | 1 | 4.7 | 9.17 |
| 3 | Texas-Alabama | 2 | 4.5 | 8.76 |
| 4 | Colorado-Nebraska | 2 | 4.8 | 8.73 |
| 5 | Colorado-TCU | 1 | 3.8 | 7.26 |
| 6 | South Carolina-Georgia | 3 | 2.8 | 5.42 |
| 7 | Tennessee-Florida | 3 | 2.7 | 5.31 |
| 8 | Alabama-USF | 3 | 2.7 | 4.84 |
| 9 | Ohio State-Indiana | 1 | 2.3 | 4.65 |
| 10 | Texas A&M-Miami | 2 | 2.2 | 4.02 |
Colorado has three of the top five games in the Nielsen ratings, too. The Week 1 opener against TCU had a 3.8 Nielsen rating. That number increased to 4.8 against Nebraska in Week 2.
That's impressive when measured against the other top-five games. Florida State-LSU had its own window on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and Texas-Alabama was a clash of College Football Playoff contenders in the Saturday night ESPN window in Week 2.
Will Colorado draw higher TV ratings in Week 4?
The show goes on this week. The Buffaloes face a top-10 opponent in No. 10 Oregon at Autzen Stadium. The game gets the 3:30 p.m. ET window on ABC.
The Ducks are 20.5-point favorites. This game potentially could draw similar to Colorado-Colorado State knowing it will not have to compete with No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Notre Dame, which will be on at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
MORE: Week 4 slate is loaded with elite matchups
When will Colorado TV ratings peak?
Our best guess will be the Sept. 30 showdown against No. 5 USC. That game will be televised on Fox at 12 p.m. ET. Even if the Buffaloes lose in Week 4 to Oregon, the quarterback matchup between Shedeur Sanders and USC's Caleb Williams – the reigning Heisman Trophy winner – will be must-see television.
Our early prediction is that it will be the most-watched game in September, even ahead of Notre Dame-Ohio State. That will be especially true if the game stays close for four quarters.
