:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61751949/IMG_0840.0.0.jpg)
UCF's 34-27 win over Auburn in the Peach Bowl posted a strong 5.1 national TV rating, which was the highest-rated non-CFP Semifinal Peach Bowl in the New Year’s Six Era, according to ESPN. The game drew a total of 8,377,000 viewers. The game was up 28% from the 2015 game and 55% from the 2014 game, according to ESPN Public Relations's Derek Volner. The 2016 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl was a CFP Semifinal.
The Peach Bowl was the fourth most-watched game on January 1st behind the two playoff games and the Citrus Bowl between Notre Dame and LSU. That game garnered a 5.5 rating, which is up 32% from last year's Citrus Bowl between LSU and Louisville, which was played on December 31.
The Rose Bowl put up a 14.8, while the Sugar Bowl posted a 12.5 rating.
The Knights' win over Auburn posted a 16.0 local rating in central Florida, which was the number two TV market for the game behind Birmingham, which posted a 36.6 rating. The 16.0 local rating is the second highest-rated UCF game ever watched in the central Florida market behind only the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, which registered a 17.4 rating. Keep in mind the Fiesta Bowl was played in primetime that year and was the only game on TV in that time slot, where the Peach Bowl was a 12:30pm start across from two other bowl games.
The most-watched College Football game in central Florida was Florida State's National Championship win over Auburn in the 2014 Rose Bowl, which had a 24.9 local rating - the highest rated College Football game in the central Florida market since they started following local TV numbers in 2000. The 5.1 national rating for Peach Bowl is UCF second highest-rated and second most watched UCF game behind the Fiesta Bowl, which did 6.6 national rating.
You can view UCF's historical national TV ratings here.