Alabama Rout Over LSU in BCS Championship Scores for ESPN

An average of 16 million households tuned in for the Crimson Tide's 21-0 victory over the Tigers.

1:21 PM PST 1/10/2012 by Sofia M. Fernandez

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The University of Alabama's resounding 21-0 victory over Louisiana State University for the BCS championship Monday night scored one of ESPN's highest-rated telecasts.

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An average 16 million households tuned in for the Crimson Tide's 5 field-goal, one touchdown win, making it the second-highest most-watched program in cable TV history, according to ESPN. (Cable records have only been kept since 1987). Only last year's 11th-hour Auburn victory over Oregon eclipsed Monday's game with a larger audience.

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The game was the most-viewed telecast of the night in all of television, including broadcast and cable, which rolled out programs like The Bachelor, Castle and Rock Center With Brian Williams.

On ESPN digital platforms such as smart phones, computers, tablets and Xboxes, the average minute audience for the game totaled 261,000 people.

Alabama's defense dominated LSU throughout the game, so much so that the Tigers didn't cross midfield until halfway through the fourth quarter. The Tide held them to 92 yards and five first downs.

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The BCS championship helped Alabama secure the No. 1 spot on the Associated Press poll, making it the only other team besides Notre Dame to be top-ranked eight times in that poll, notes AP.