re: Why is CBS passing on marquee games

Incorrect. Both State/UK and LSU-OM had an identical 3.3 rating.

CBS was betting on a UK win over LSU and they didn't get it. It ended up being an error on their part, but not the end of the world, but nonetheless a mistake that ESPN benefitted from.

quote:

---

LINK

The Ole Miss-LSU game on ESPN and the Mississippi State-Kentucky game on CBS tied for the top spot with 3.3 overnight ratings on Saturday. The 3.3 on ESPN is the highest of the season on the network, topping the 3.1 that Georgia and Tennessee drew Sept. 27. According to sportsmediawatch.com, the SEC on CBS has won or shared the top college football ratings spot five out of seven weeks this season. That said, the 3.3 ratings posted on ESPN and CBS are the lowest for the No. 1 game of the week so far this season. The Ohio State-Penn State double overtime game on ABC was third this week with a 3.1 overnight rating.

Top college football TV ratings for Week 9
1t. Ole Miss-LSU, ESPN - 3.3
1t. Mississippi State-Kentucky, CBS - 3.3
3. Ohio State-Penn State, ABC - 3.1
4. Michigan State-Michigan, ABC - 2.5
5. Texas-Kansas State, ESPN - 2.2
6. Alabama-Tennessee, ESPN2 - 1.3
7t. Arizona State-Washington, ESPN - 1.2
7t. West Virginia-Oklahoma State, ESPN - 1.2
9. TCU-Texas Tech, FOX - 0.94
10. USC-Utah, FOX SPORTS 1 - 0.70

---