In all candor, the USC-UConn TV ratings could have been better, when viewed through this particular lens: USC dominated the first 2.5 quarters of the game and led by 18 points — 51-33 — midway through the third quarter. Some viewers likely flipped away from the game, only for UConn to then rally and create a very close contest in the fourth quarter. If this game had been neck-and-neck the whole way, it probably would have come close to 3 million viewers. To that extent, this game might not have hit its absolute ceiling. It’s a very solid number, but USC’s dominance early in the game might have led a few casual viewers — who had just watched Steelers-Ravens — to change the channel.

Also: Ravens-Steelers was close for most of the game but became a Ravens runaway in the fourth qurater. If Ravens-Steelers had been close all the way to the final few minutes, that might have boosted USC-UConn even more than it actually did. Not everything fell into place in terms of helping this game achieve the highest possible TV rating.