- Clemson-Texas A&M: Highest-Rated Game of Week 2 Across All Networks; Second-Best ESPN Saturday Primetime Game since 2016
- ESPN and ABC Win the Day with Four of the Top Six Games Overall
- ESPN Touts Top Five Games on Cable
- Michigan State-Arizona State (10:45 p.m., ESPN) was ESPN’s Highest-Rated Saturday Finale Window Since 2016
- College GameDay Built by The Home Depot up 17% from Week 2 in 2017
With one of the most dramatic finishes in the 2018 season, ESPN’s presentation of Clemson vs. Texas A&M was the highest-rated game of Week 2 across all networks. The tightly contested matchup between the Tigers and the Aggies is the second-highest Saturday primetime game on ESPN since 2016, and was up +50% from the same game window in 2017, which saw an early-season showdown between No. 3 Clemson and No. 13 Auburn go Clemson’s way with the Tigers scoring 14 unanswered points to beat Auburn, 14-6.
With the contest coming down to the closing minutes, the action at Kyle Field peaked at a 4.0 (10:30-10:45 p.m. ET) as Clemson intercepted the ball on an attempted A&M two-point conversion to seal the victory for the Tigers, 28-26.
Birmingham was the No. 1 local market for Clemson’s victory Saturday, registering a 16.0. The top 10 markets:
| Rank | Local Rating | Market |
| 1 | 16.0 | Birmingham |
| 2 | 15.9 | Greenville-Sprtnburg-Ash |
| 3 | 7.5 | Charlotte |
| 4 | 7.0 | Austin |
| 5 | 6.6 | Atlanta |
| 6 | 6.5 | Dallas-Ft. Worth |
| 7 | 6.4 | San Antonio |
| 8 | 6.2 | Houston |
| 9 | 6.1 | Greensboro-High Point |
| 10 | 5.9 | Norfolk-Portsmth-N. Nws |
Additional Week 2 Highlights:
- ESPN and ABC Combine for Four of Top Six Games Overall
In addition to ESPN’s marquee matchup between Clemson and A&M, ESPN and ABC teamed up to televise four of the top six games Saturday. Colorado’s 33-28 victory over Nebraska (3:30 p.m., ABC) rated a 2.1 Saturday, while Penn State’s rout of in-state rival Pittsburgh (8 p.m., ABC) registered a 2.0 rating. The noontime reverse mirror games of Arizona vs. Houston and Georgia Tech vs. USF recorded a 1.9 rating. - Pac-12 Soars with Highest ESPN Saturday Finale Window Rating since 2016
With a wild finish that came down to a 28-yard field goal as time expired, Arizona State’s 16-13 upset of No. 15 Michigan State (10:45 p.m., ESPN) averaged a 1.6, the highest for that window on ESPN since November 2016 and 100% ratings increase from 2017. In total, ESPN touted the top five games on cable Saturday. - College GameDay Built by The Home Depot Gains Steam
College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, set in College Station, Texas for the Clemson-Texas A&M showdown, averaged a 1.4 across ESPN and ESPNU, up +17% from 2017’s Week 2 show surrounding Oklahoma-Ohio State
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Media contact: Amanda Brooks at 704-973-5042; Amanda.D.Brooks@espn.com and @BrooksAD
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