'Bama-Georgia Draws 2nd-Largest CFP Championship TV Audience

By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — The national championship showdown between Alabama and Georgia drew 28.443 million viewers, making it the second-most watched title game in the four-year-old format of the College Football Playoff.

Alabama beat Georgia in overtime , rallying from 13 points down in the second half before winning with a game-ending touchdown pass . Viewership for the all-Southeastern Conference matchup was up 13 percent from last season's Clemson-Alabama rematch from the season before.

The first CFP championship game between Oregon and Ohio State after the 2014 season drew nearly 34 million viewers, a record for ESPN. This season's CFP semifinals on Jan. 1 and Monday night's championship game averaged more than 26.2 million viewers, up 21 percent from last year.

The New Year's Six bowls and championship game drew an average of 17 million viewers, the most in four years of the format.
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