LSU coach Lane Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss attracts almost 11 million viewers

The TV viewers for Lane Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss was sizable. But it additionally did not come near matching the viewership quantity for Texas’ Week 2 win over Ohio State.

ESPN said Tuesday afternoon that Ole Miss’ 32-24 win drew a mean viewers of 10.9 million viewers. It was by far the most-watched sport of the day and the second sport of the 2026 season to interrupt the ten million mark. Alabama’s win over Florida State earlier within the day had seven million watchers.

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It was a certainty that the Rebels’ victory could be the most-watched sport of the weekend ever for the reason that SEC introduced its 2026 soccer schedule. Given the best way that some of the polarizing coaches in school soccer left Ole Miss on the finish of the 2025 common season for a hated rival and the truth that each groups are potential playoff contenders, it was at all times going to be one of many largest video games of the season.

The sport delivered, too. After LSU scored 17 straight factors to tie the sport, Ole Miss retook the lead within the fourth quarter and sealed the sport late with an interception in the long run zone.

Yet Saturday evening’s sport drew three million fewer viewers than Texas’ 24-23 victory did. That sport was ESPN’s most-watched regular-season sport since Ohio State performed Michigan on ABC in 2016.

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If you wish to make a sweeping judgment in regards to the viewership numbers, it is cheap to suppose that model energy continues to be one of many largest driving forces in school soccer viewership. While Kiffin has been the central determine of the 2026 offseason, the fascination with him was nonetheless trumped by the vast enchantment — and inhabitants benefit — of colleges like Ohio State and Texas.