BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — Top-seeded Indiana's victory over Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night was the most watched college football game in 11 years.
The Hoosiers' 27-21 victory over the 10th seeded Hurricanes for their first football national title averaged 30.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen. It also is the second-most watched CFP title game and cable telecast on record. Ohio State's win over Oregon in January 2015, still has the record at 33.9 million.
According to ESPN, it was the most-viewed, non-NFL sports telecast since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland. It is the fourth-most watched college football game in the last 30 years and the eighth-most watched ESPN production since the network started in 1979.
“Monday night’s record-setting National Championship game was the exclamation point on the most exciting College Football Playoff to date – and a fitting final chapter for ESPN’s highly successful 2025-26 college football season,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro told The Associated Press. “We are grateful to our CFP partners for their collaboration as this preeminent sports event continues to reach new audiences and fan bases each year.”
ESPN had its highest-viewed event on Sunday when the Houston Texans-New England Patriots NFL playoff game averaged 37.97 million.
Monday night's audience peaked at 33.2 million viewers in the first half.
The 11 College Football Playoff games averaged 16.3 million viewers in its second year of the 12-team format.
According to Nielsen, Indiana averaged 8.44 million viewers for its 16 games (the regular season, Big Ten championship game and three CFP games). The Hoosiers averaged 2.70 million for its 12 regular-season games.
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Indiana holds the trophy after their win against Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Wrexham's bid for a fourth straight promotion and a place in the Premier League is gaining steam.
A dramatic 3-2 win at Queens Park Rangers — courtesy of two stoppage-time goals — lifted Wrexham, the Welsh club co-owned by Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, into sixth place in the second-tier Championship on Saturday.
The top-two finishers secure automatic promotion and the teams who finish third to sixth will qualify for the end-of-season playoffs for the one extra promotion spot.
It's the first time this season that Wrexham has ended a round in the playoff places.
Wrexham has played 29 of its 46 games in its first second-tier campaign since the 1980s following an unprecedented three straight promotions. Its surge up the English soccer pyramid, fueled by the cash injection by Reynolds and McElhenney since buying the club in 2020 and documented in the Emmy-winning “Welcome to Wrexham” TV series, began in 2022 with promotion from the non-league fifth division.
The latest win came after Josh Windass equalized in the third minute of stoppage time and Ollie Rathbone grabbed the winner a minute later at Loftus Road.
Windass was one of the 13 players who came to the club as part of an estimated spending spree of around $40 million in the summer transfer window, during which Wrexham repeatedly broke its transfer record.
The money available for transfers has been boosted by Reynolds and McElhenney securing outside financial investment through, among others, the New York-based Allyn family.
Wrexham also is having a good run in the FA Cup, having made it to the last 32 by beating Premier League team Nottingham Forest in a penalty shootout in the third round.
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Wrexham's Issa Kabore, left, and Queens Park Rangers' Paul Smyth battle for the ball during the Sky Bet Championship soccer match between Queens Park Rangers and Wrexham in London, Saturday Jan. 24, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
Wrexham's Josh Windass, third left, scores their side's second goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship soccer match between Queens Park Rangers and Wrexham in London, Saturday Jan. 24, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
Wrexham's Ollie Rathbone, 2nd right, celebrates scoring their side's third goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship soccer match between Queens Park Rangers and Wrexham in London, Saturday Jan. 24, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
Wrexham's Ollie Rathbone, left, scores their side's third goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship soccer match between Queens Park Rangers and Wrexham in London, Saturday Jan. 24, 2026. (Ben Whitley/PA via AP)
