https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/college-football-tv-ratings/
Regarding the link you find 'telling'. I find it telling as well, but probably from a different perspective.
It also should not be earth-shattering to anyone that exciting teams and players are fun to watch. OSU is FUN to watch on offense. Same for Bama. They have explosive play after explosive play. Notre Dame's offense last year? Not so fun. Methodical = boring for the casual fan.
Bowl Games/ CFP:
Notre Dame game is ranked #1 of games that also had other games being played at the same time. (UK/IA) (PSU/ARK). They pulled a 4.2, at 1p with two other games going that kicked off at the same time or just slightly before. Ranked #6 overall in all Bowl / CFP games, 3 of the games that beat them were the National Championship and two CFP games. The other 2 games were primetime with no opposing games. Not to shabby on ND's part.
Conference Champ game:
This is where ND is leaving money on the table, and, perhaps more importantly, they aren't giving the players an extra game against superior competition to prepare for the game speed and intensity of the playoffs to come. When USC is good, ok, that's a good way to finish the season. But finishing vs Stanford, Georgia Tech, Navy and Virginia is NOT the competition ND needs to be facing leading up to the CFP. Notre Dame had their best appearance in the CFP playing Bama just after the loss to Clemson in the ACCCG. The week lay-off for Navy/Army and then the Conference Champs is TOO long and a disadvantage. Those other teams in CFP had a full game two weeks AFTER Notre Dame play their last. Not good.
Week 13
ND vs Stanford at 8pm, only other game worth watching during the time slot was Ok/OKst. ND finishes the 8th most watched game that day. The two biggest games of the regular season OSU/MI (15 million - wow - at noon) and AU/AL had been played early in the day. Only the most ravenous of college football fans will watch football from 12noon to 10p. Stanford is boring and blows. Kansas St vs Texas had more views at noon.
Week 12
ND finishes 10th playing Georgia Tech at 230. Wake/Clemson finished just ahead of them in 9th with a 12p kick off. Concerning.
Week 11
ND plays Virginia and finishes 6th in Primetime. Finishing 5th just above ND was A&M vs Ole Miss also in primetime. Both games scored 1.8. One of ND's worst matchups scores EVENLY with the SEC's best 2nd game in primetime.
Week 10
ND plays Navy and finishes 9th playing at 330. MSU/Purdue finished 3rd, Wake/UNC finished 7th, UGA/Missouri finished 8th. Concerning.
Week 9
UNC/ND finishes 8th in primetime. PSU/OSU and Miss/Aub were the other primetime games. PSU/OSU picked up 3.7 crushing the other two prime games. But again, ND finishes (1.3) EVENLY with the SEC's 2nd best game (1.4).
Week 8
Maybe the most telling of all, and not in my hoped-for direction. ND finishes 7th, in primetime, against their rival USC. Not good. Illinois/Penn St (3rd), OSU/IU (4th) and Northwestern/MI (5th) all finished ahead of ND game. Ouch.
Week 7
No ND football. Somehow college football survived.
Week 6
ND not listed again
Week 5
ND vs Cincy lands at 5 with a 2.2. Number 1 was Bama vs Miss with a 2.7 in the SEC 330 slot. Two Big 10 games scored better, slightly. Mich vs Wisc at noon and Penn St/Indiana in primetime.
Week 4
ND vs Wisc lands at #1 with a 12 noon kickoff. 3.1 score. 2.5 is next closest in a primetime night game.
Week 3
ND vs Purdue finishes 5th at 1.5. Alabama vs UF and Aub/Penn St in primetime crush everyone. 3rd is Neb/OK, 4th is Michigan St vs Miami. Those are 4 solid game match-ups ahead of ND/Purdue.
Week 2
ND vs Toledo on Peacock. I see no ratings.
Week 1
ND vs FSU is the 2nd most watched game. Played alone in primetime on Sunday. #1 in primetime on Saturday was UGA/Clemson.
In conclusion, Notre Dame can carry it's own water. They are not as valuable as an entire conference, but they are arguably the MOST VALUABLE TEAM in all of college football. In any given year the teams or teams favored to win the National Title and/or have Heisman type players will secure higher ratings than ND on average and especially in marquee matchups. When ND has marquee matchups - without the heisman players and likelihood of a national title - they score at the top or very near the top in ratings.
It is also very clear that the Big 10 is much closer to the SEC in football fandom. They are CLEARLY the two best conferences. I believe the ACC serves ND well in recruiting and east coast footprint. If/when FSU and Miami could get their shit together, along with Clemson, you have formidable competition and excellent ratings.