Ratings up for college Playoff

With the semifinals back on New Year’s Day, viewership for the College Football Playoff on ESPN was the highest it has been since the first season of the postseason system in 2015. The double overtime Rose Bowl thriller between Georgia and Oklahoma drew a 14.8 overnight Nielsen rating and average viewership of 27 million, up 39% over last season’s early semifinal. Georgia beat Oklahoma 54-48, and ESPN said the television rating reached a high of 17.3 in overtime. The Sugar Bowl between Alabama and Clemson got a 12.5 rating and average viewership of 21.1 million, up 10% from last season’s second semifinal. The Crimson Tide won the Sugar Bowl 24-6.