Michigan is a national brand, that much is known. Backing that up are the school's television numbers through 10 weeks of the college football season.
Michigan averages a 3.07 TV rating when on national TV — the highest mark in the country.
The Wolverines have been on national TV seven times this season, and average a nation-high 5.114 million viewers per broadcast. They've been watch by 35.797 million total fans this season across those games.
Alabama has the most total viewers this season, with 42.116 million viewers, but has been on national TV nine times compared to Michigan's seven.
The Crimson Tide average a 2.71 rating and 4.68 million viewers per game.
Ohio State has also been on national TV seven times, and is just a tick below Michigan is viewership. The Buckeyes have had 35.231 million total viewers, averaging 5.033 million per game — racking up a 2.86 average TV rating.
Michigan has been the most watched team overall three times this year — week six against Michigan State, week seven against Indiana and week eight against Penn State. Week one against Florida, Michigan was the second most watched team in the country. That game, which received a 4.9 rating and had 7.805 million viewers, is the third most watched game of the entire season, behind Alabama-Florida State in week one (6.9), and Ohio State-Penn State (5.75) in week nine.
In week two against Cincinnati, Michigan was the fourth most watched team of the week. In week four against Purdue, the Wolverines were the third most watched team.
The only time Michigan has not been in the top four of national ratings was last week against Minnesota. The game — which started an hour later than scheduled due to bad weather — was sixth in the country with a 1.7 rating.
Alabama has been the most watched team twice, week one and week 10 (Florida State and LSU). It was second behind Michigan in weeks six, seven and eight.
Ohio State was the most watched team twice as well, week two against Oklahoma and week nine against Penn State.
Michigan has shown it is a draw in any time slot. Two of the three times it was the highest rated game of the week, Michigan was playing at night, while the third (Indiana) was a noon start. Florida and Purdue were both mid-afternoon kickoffs.
Five of the seven games were televised on ABC, including the three games that were No. 1 of the week and Michigan's overall most watched game against Florida. The other two (Purdue, Minnesota) were on FOX.
Big Ten Network broadcasts are not considered nationally televised games. Michigan was on BTN in week three against Air Force and week nine against Rutgers. It will be on BTN again this week at Maryland, before finishing the year with games at Wisconsin which will likely be on either ABC or FOX, and at home against Ohio State, which will be on FOX and is a candidate to be the most watched game of the week — or even the season.
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