Florida State’s win over LSU draws huge ratings for ESPN

Florida State football’s 24-23 upset win over the LSU Tigers at the Caesars Superdome Sunday evening was ESPN’s second most-watched game during Week 1:

The Seminoles and Tigers drew 7.6 million viewers on ABC, making it the network’s third most-viewed Sunday night opener on record. That figure is even more impressive when you consider neither team was ranked at kickoff.

So what does this tell us? It shows Florida State is still a major name in college football, as the Seminoles continue to draw huge numbers for marquee matchups (last season’s opening loss vs. Brian Kelly’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish had huge numbers, as well).

The school and coaching staff can use these figures for potential realignment and recruiting, respectively.

If Mike Norvell’s Noles can continue their impressive start, you have to figure the networks will continue to showcase them during prime viewing windows.