Colorado's win over Arizona draws Big 12's largest TV audience for Week 8

Coach Prime's team comes out of Tucson with another win

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes continue to be one of the most-watched college football teams in 2024. In Week 8, their matchup against Arizona attracted 2 million viewers, making it the eighth most-watched game of the weekend and the top-rated game in the Big 12.

This consistent viewership underscores the massive draw that the Buffaloes have become under Sanders' leadership. Remarkably, no Colorado game this season has dipped below 2 million viewers, and halfway through the season, they are averaging an impressive 3.4 million viewers per game.

This surge in popularity can largely be attributed to the electrifying presence of Deion Sanders, also known as "Coach Prime." His transformation of the Colorado program has made the team a must-watch, not only for Buffaloes fans but also for college football fans nationwide. The team’s visibility is further amplified by the fact that every game has been broadcast on national television, ensuring maximum exposure.

While Colorado’s game against Arizona brought in strong numbers, the biggest draw of the weekend was the SEC showdown between Georgia and Texas on ABC, which saw 13.2 million viewers. This marked the highest viewership for any college football game so far this season. Other highly-watched games included Alabama vs. Tennessee (10.2 million) and Miami vs. Louisville (4.1 million), showing the continued dominance of marquee matchups, especially those involving SEC teams.

Colorado’s next game against Cincinnati is set to air on ESPN this Saturday at 10:15 p.m. ET, and all eyes will once again be on Coach Prime and the Buffaloes. Regardless of the outcome, the team’s ability to consistently attract millions of viewers each week highlights the magnetic appeal of Sanders and his football program, making them one of the most captivating stories of the 2024 college football season.