The recent clash between NFL games and the debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff format revealed a significant viewership gap, with the NFL emerging as the clear winner.

Despite the excitement surrounding the expanded playoff format, college football struggled to compete with the NFL's established audience. For instance, the SMU-Penn State game drew 6.4 million viewers, while the concurrently airing Kansas City Chiefs-Houston Texans matchup garnered 15.5 million viewers.

This trend continued throughout the weekend. The Steelers-Ravens game attracted 15.4 million viewers, overshadowing the Clemson-Texas game's 8.6 million. When not facing direct competition from NFL games, college football viewership saw a significant boost. The Indiana-Notre Dame game, the inaugural match of the 12-team format, drew an impressive 13.4 million viewers, and the Tennessee-Ohio State game reached 14.3 million.

The average viewership for the first round of the College Football Playoffs (10.6 million) exceeded all but four college games this season, indicating the format's potential. However, the NFL's dominance presents a challenge for college football. The upcoming weekend will see another clash, with three NFL games scheduled against various bowl games, including the Pop-Tarts Bowl (Iowa State vs. Miami) and the Alamo Bowl (Colorado vs. BYU), featuring draft prospects Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.

This competition for viewers underscores the ongoing dynamic between professional and collegiate sports, particularly during overlapping seasons.