Fox wins first night of 2008 with college football

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The Sugar Bowl proved sweet for Fox, which started the new year with a win Tuesday in both viewership and the adults 18-49 demographic.

The college football matchup between Hawaii and Georgia averaged at least 12.5 million viewers, according to preliminary data issued Wednesday by Nielsen Media Research. (Georgia won 41-10 at the New Orleans Superdome.)

Also notable was NBC's "The Biggest Loser" (10.4 million). Meanwhile, "Law & Order: SVU" (12.3 million) was neck and neck with Fox in viewership and adults 18-49.

ABC felt hardly a bump with an hour overrun for the Rose Bowl match in Los Angeles.

Fox (12.5 million, 4.9 rating/11 share in adults 18-49) won in viewership and adults 18-49 over NBC (11.1 million, 4.3/10); CBS (8.4 million, 1.9/4); ABC (6.3 million, 2.2/5); and the CW (1.4 million, 0.5/1).

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter