College Football Playoffs- Marcus Mariota & Oregon Vs Jameis WInston's FSU, Alabama & Ohio State Set Ratings Record For ESPN

Following the two amazing first games of the new College Football Playoffs — the 2015 Rose Bowl matchup between Oregon and Florida State University, and the 2015 Sugar Bowl slate of Ohio State versus Alabama — ESPN announced that the broadcasts of the two bowl games brought in record setting numbers, becoming the two highest ranking broadcasts in cable history. With two top NFL Draft picks facing off, Marcus Mariota's Oregon Ducks schooled Jameis Winston and FSU 59-20, before two legendary coaches went head-to-head as Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes beat Nick Saban's much-fancied Alabama Red Tide 42 to 35, college football proved inescapable on New Year's Day 2015.

As deadline.com report, the numbers set by ESPN's broadcast were exceptional, saying "Ohio State's upset of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, which kicked off at 9 PM ET, averaged 28.3 million viewers, a tick above the 28.2 million Oregon's destruction of Florida State averaged in the Rose Bowl at 5 PM ET."

Those numbers, says deadline, makes them "the two biggest audiences in the history of cable television."

Wow. Take that, The Walking Dead.

College Football Playoffs Set Ratings Records at ESPN https://t.co/I2f14KZFy1

— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 2, 2015

According to The Hollywood Reporter, ESPN Executive VP Programming and Production John Wildhack said "These record-setting numbers illustrate the enormous fan interest in college football and the wide-ranging appeal of the new College Football Playoff format."

"We are excited to build upon this success when we showcase the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship on ESPN on January 12."

The Hollywood Reporter add that an average of 864,000 viewers streamed the games through the WatchESPN app On January 1.

That first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship will be between the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes, and will take place at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 12. It will air on ESPN - and considering how much fun the semi-final round was, we can't wait.