It turns out the “Game of the Century” label wasn’t far off.
No. 1 LSU’s primetime victory at No. 2 Alabama on Saturday night was the second-highest rated college football game on CBS in 24 years.
The Tigers’ 9-6 overtime triumph earned an average overnight rating of 11.9 and a share of 21 — a 170-percent increase from last November’s CBS telecast of LSU’s 2:30 p.m. game versus the Crimson Tide in Tiger Stadium.
The rating trailed only CBS’ telecast of Notre Dame versus Miami on Nov. 25, 1989, which drew a 14.5/26. Saturday’s game peaked with a rating of 14.5/27.
That ‘89 clash was a rematch pitting the undefeated and defending national champion Irish against the unbeaten Hurricanes, who won, 27-10, en route to their 1989 national title.
CBS took an unprecedented step two weeks ago by moving the first regular season matchup between top-ranked Southeastern Conference foes from its regular afternoon time slot to a primetime kickoff.
A 7 p.m. kickoff has reportedly been promised to LSU when it hosts Alabama next year in exchange for agreeing to the move.
LSU is now 20-1 in road night games dating back to 2002.
 
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