University Park, Pa. – The first meeting between Penn State and Florida in 13 years drew an impressive television audience for the 2011 Outback Bowl, with the contest producing the highest rating for a college football game on ABC during the 2010 season.
The ESPN on ABC telecast of the clash between the Nittany Lions and Gators delivered a 7.1 rating, translating into 8.17 million TV households and 12.445 million viewers.
The Nittany Lions have long been one of college football’s premier programs for television networks. Every Nittany Lion game has been televised the past seven seasons and 203 of the last 205 Penn State games overall have been on TV.
Since starting conference competition in 1993, Penn State has played in seven of the top 15 rated Big Ten football games on ESPN, the most of any Big Ten team (Michigan is next with five). The Nittany Lions have played in six of top 15 highest viewed Big Ten games on ESPN, tied for first among conference squads (with Michigan).
The Nittany Lions are 58-19 (75.3) since the start of the 2005 season, among the nation’s Top 15 winning percentages over that span (pending all bowl results). Penn State has won 60 of its last 79 games overall, dating to the final two contests of the 2004 season.
The Nittany Lions return 16 starters for the 2010 season, (7 offense, 8 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 17 players that have starting experience. Penn State opens its 125th season Sept. 3 vs. Indiana State in Beaver Stadium and Alabama visits Happy Valley on Sept. 10 for the first time since 1989.