The 81st edition of the Allstate Sugar Bowl, which doubled as a College Football Playoff Semifinal on Jan. 1, was the most watched program in cable television history. The game, which saw Ohio State defeat Alabama, 42-35, on ESPN, delivered a 15.2 rating, averaging 28,271,000 viewers. This year's game was the highest-rated Sugar Bowl since the 2000 contest when Florida State held off a furious charge by Michael Vick and Virginia Tech to capture the BCS National Championship. That game, broadcast by ABC, garnered a 17.5 rating.