Fox’s Last BCS National Championship Game Goes Out On Top

It’s only appropriate that Fox’s last BCS National Championship Game goes out on a high note. Next year, ABC will carry the game at the Rose Bowl, then it will be all ESPN’s in 2011. The ratings for the BCS National Championship Game that ended with Florida beating Oklahoma, 24-14 won the night for Fox. Here’s the press release from the fine people at Fox Sports.

FLORIDA-OKLAHOMA TITLE BOUT CONCLUDES

FOX’S MOST-WATCHED BCS EVER

FOX ‘Chomps’ Competition As Gators Win Second Title In Three Years

26.8 Million Viewers Marks +16% Improvement Over 2008 Title Game

New York, NY – The 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship game on FOX last night earned an outstanding 15.8/25 fast national rating/share and averaged 26.8 million viewers to make 2009 the most-watched BCS ever on FOX according to Nielsen Media Research. Last night’s viewership is a +16% improvement over last year’s 23.1 million (LSU-Ohio State). The network’s 15.8 rating is a 10% improvement over last year’s 14.4/22.

Anchored by the FedEx BCS National Championship Game, last night projects to be the second highest-rated and most-watched night in all of television this season-to-date. The BCS on FOX opened at a 14.0/23 and steadily climbed to a 17.7/26 peak by the end of the first half. After a halftime dip, ratings rallied throughout the second half, topping out at a 17.3/32 following Gators QB Tim Tebow’s ‘jump pass’ touchdown to WR David Nelson in the games closing minutes (11:30 – 11:49pm ET). See below for additional highlights of last night’s game and all four BCS games on FOX:

• FOX chomped last night’s competition in prime time winning the night overall with an average rating and share of 14.8/23. FOX was followed by ABC (6.7/10), CBS (6.0/9) and NBC (3.8/6).
• Last night projects to be FOX’s strongest Thursday night in over five years, dating back to Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS (Yankees/Red Sox, 15.8/25).
• FOX Sports estimates that over 50 million viewers tuned in for at least part of the BCS Championship Game.
• FOX won all four BCS nights in the coveted Adults 18-49 demographic and Average Audience.
• 2009 BCS on FOX averaged 16.8 million viewers, +16% better than last year’s 14.5 million. On a ratings basis, this year’s four-game average of 9.9/16 is +10% better than last year’s 9.0/15.
• Among all prime-time shows, the BCS would rank as a top five show among A18-49 and a top ten show among both households and average audience.
• Oklahoma City topped all markets with a gargantuan 52.6/67, followed by Tulsa (47.8/63), Birmingham (41.8/53), Jacksonville (40.5/55), Tampa (32.5/49), Orlando (30.7/45), Austin (30.3/46), West Palm Beach (29.8/42), Fort Myers (28.4/42) and Columbus (26.7/40).

As expected, markets in Oklahoma and Florida are in the top ten for the BCS National Championship Game, but what’s up with Columbus, Ohio? The Buckeyes weren’t even in the national championship mix and it finishes 1oth? Interesting.