You Have to See Colorado’s Dominant Viewship Numbers This Season

Through five weeks of the 2025 season, the early television ratings among programs in the West tell a story of dominance, and once again, Colorado is at the center of it. According to updated viewership data, only Oregon has drawn more eyes on average than the Buffaloes, underscoring the continued national fascination with Deion Sanders’ program in its second year back in the Big 12.

The numbers are eye-popping. Oregon leads all western schools with 13.84 million reported viewers, followed closely by Colorado at 13.09 million. From there, the drop-off is significant, with USC at 8.22 million and Washington at 7.42 million. Utah sits at 5.57 million, while Arizona State comes in at 4.75 million. Among Big 12 schools in the region, BYU is next with 4.29 million, trailing the Arizona schools but still ahead of multiple Pac-12 leftovers and Mountain West contenders.

For Colorado, the takeaway is straightforward. The Buffs remain one of the most bankable properties in college football. Even after a rocky 2024 campaign, the intrigue around the Coach Prime experiment continues to pull fans to the screen. National broadcasts have leaned heavily on Colorado, and the results show why networks have prioritized them for prime windows. In a media environment where every rating point counts, Colorado has proven to be the second-most watched team in the West, beating out programs with longer championship pedigrees like Washington and USC.

From a Big 12 perspective, these numbers matter more than just bragging rights. Colorado is one of the most visible western brands in the country, giving commissioner Brett Yormark additional leverage in media negotiations. When paired with programs like Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and many more in the central footprint, the Big 12 can point to both reach and consistency across regions, strengthening its national profile.

Meanwhile, several schools that once commanded major network attention are nowhere close. UCLA, Stanford, and Cal all rank in the bottom third of the list, with totals more in line with Group of Five programs than Power Four mainstays. That decline further emphasizes how important Colorado and BYU have become for the Big 12’s western flank.

For now, Oregon leads the pack, but Colorado is right there with them. The Buffs’ return to relevance continues to pay dividends for the Big 12, not only on the field but on the screen, where the league’s long-term growth will ultimately be measured.