On paper, it very well may have been the most quintessential college football game of the 21st century.The matchup checked every box one could come up with, and at times felt like a drama unfolding on Netflix more than a real-life football game.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.
If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.The fact that it was decided by eight points, with the team that was left at the altar getting its revenge, and with the game coming down to a play with under one minute remaining was just the icing on the cake.
When the final whistle sounded, it felt as if the college football world as a whole could finally take a breath after a four-hour slugfest coming off of 10 months of anticipation.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGELSU Tigers coach Lane Kiffin runs onto the field during pregame of a college football game between the LSU Tigers and Mississippi Rebels on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS.(Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)The TV ratings from the game reflect that college football fans were glued to what was unfolding in Oxford, but not quite like they were to a specific game just one week prior.ESPN shared that LSU-Ole Miss was Week 3's most-watched game, with an average of 10.9 million viewers and a peak viewership of 13.7 million.
The matchup outperformed the nearest competitor by a whopping 237%.Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy reacts after a touchdown during the second quarter of a college football game between the LSU Tigers and Mississippi Rebels on Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS.(Photo by Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND U...