Notre Dame’s 31-24 upset victory over top ranked Miami averaged 9.1 million viewers across NBC and Peacock on Saturday night. The matchup became NBC’s third-most-watched primetime Notre Dame football broadcast since its partnership began in 1991.
What We Know: Saturday’s NBC Sports audience peaking at 12 million during the fourth quarter. Only Notre Dame’s contest against Ohio State in 2023 (10.6 million) and against Clemson in 2020 (10.4 million) attracted larger primetime audiences. Additionally, the matchup led all college football broadcasts that weekend. It also delivered NBC’s largest Saturday night audience since Game 7 of the Spurs-Thunder Western Conference Finals on May 30. Meanwhile, NBC’s coverage of the Irish is averaging 5.1 million viewers through five games, its highest average since 2020.
What the Data Says:
NBC’s Most-Watched Primetime Notre Dame Games Since 1991
| Avg. Viewers | Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| ND vs Ohio State (2023) | 10.6M | No. 1 |
| ND vs Clemson (2020) | 10.4M | No. 2 |
| ND vs Miami (2026) | 9.1M | No. 3 |
Source: NBC Sports, November 10, 2026.
What Remains Unclear: NBC Sports has not disclosed separate viewership figures for NBC and Peacock, leaving each platform’s contribution to the 9.1 million total unknown.
What It Means: The audience highlights the enduring appeal of historic college football programs like Notre Dame and Miami, particularly when both carry national significance. For NBC, the performance reinforces the value of its longstanding partnership with the Fighting Irish. More broadly, marquee college football matchups remain important as networks compete for viewers across television and streaming platforms. Furthermore, such audiences can also strengthen networks’ positions with advertisers and support the value of live sports rights.
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