Yellow Jackets’ win over Syracuse draws another million-plus viewers
Georgia Tech’s win over Syracuse on Saturday registered 1.3 million television viewers, according to ESPN.
The Yellow Jackets, ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25 poll at the time of the game and now ranked No. 8, scored 20 unanswered points to take a 20-3 lead at halftime, then pulled away in the second half during the matchup televised live by ESPN. The victory moved Tech to 8-0 for the first time since 1966 and 5-0 in the ACC for the first in program history.
Five of Tech’s eight games this season have been televised by ESPN, and the reported numbers for those contests have given Tech an average of 2.68 million viewers and a total of 13.4 million. Viewership numbers for Tech’s games against Gardner-Webb (ACC Network Extra), Temple (The CW) and Virginia Tech (ACC Network) have not been made publicly available.
On Sept. 27, ESPN reported that 1.9 million viewers saw the Jackets knock off Wake Forest 30-29 in overtime. That matchup was the 10th-most-viewed college football game of that day.
On Sept. 13, ESPN reported that 4.8 million viewers watched Tech beat Clemson at Bobby Dodd Stadium, a game televised live by ESPN. The Jackets won on a 55-yard field goal by Aidan Birr as time expired.
On Aug. 29, ESPN reported 3.7 million viewers tuned in to Tech’s win at Colorado, a game also televised live by ESPN. The Jackets won that contest 27-20 after Haynes King’s 45-yard touchdown run with a little more than a minute left in the fourth quarter.
The viewership measurements are based on Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel methodology, combining Nielsen’s panel measurement with data from cable, satellite set-top boxes and smart televisions across 45 million households and 75 million devices.
The large television audience this season is positive news for Tech as it relates to the ACC’s revenue-distribution model, which is based on viewership. The incentive-based model gives member schools the opportunity to earn increased viewership distributions from the ACC’s media revenues.
Tech averaged 3.1 million viewers during the 2024 season, a number aided by 4.1 million viewers for the Birmingham Bowl, 3.46 million during a win over Miami in Atlanta and 11.5 million during an eight-overtime loss at Georgia.
At 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, Tech is scheduled to play at North Carolina State (4-4, 1-3 ACC), and that game will be televised by ESPN2.
About the Author
