FOX knew it had a beauty of a matchup in Week 10 pitting Ohio State and Penn State in Happy Valley, a game dripping with intrigue with the Big Ten race and with College Football Playoff implications.

Well, the showdown between Big Ten behemoths played out dramatically, as most figured it would, with the Buckeyes prevailing, 20-13, to stay firmly in the Playoff discussion while the Nittany Lions suffered their first loss of the season. The numbers from the game itself were interesting to dissect, but the FOX broadcast team was rewarded with a ratings number that was predictably through the roof.

How does 9.94 million viewers sound? That’s the staggering ratings that FOX drew for its Big Noon showcase game. It was not only the most-watched college football game this season on FOX, but the most-watched Big Ten game of the season on any network.

What can FOX do for an encore this season? That’s to be determined, as the drama builds in the final weeks of the regular season toward the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. There will be games on FOX that will be sure to draw big ratings, but who knows if any of them will top what Ohio State and Penn State delivered in Week 10.