ABC’s new half-hour sitcom “The Knights of Prosperity” got off to a shaky start Wednesday night, coming in fourth place in its 9 p.m. time slot.

The highly promoted “Knights” earned a 3.0 rating among adults 18 to 49, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data. Though it came in fourth in its slot, its draw was higher than any other show on ABC’s lineup last night, building from the “According to Jim” season premiere at 8 p.m. (2.5), then a second “Jim” episode (2.7). An ABC ratings release called the debut “promising” given that the series was up against college football on Fox.

“Knights” was followed by ABC’s other comedy premiere, “In Case of Emergency,” which garnered a 2.7.

“Knights” and “Emergency” were among several new and returning shows coming online after the winter hiatus last night.

Overall, Fox won the evening with the “Allstate Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Notre Dame” (5.2). That bested Fox’s previous Fiesta Bowl and Orange Bowl.

CBS managed to come in second despite having mostly repeats. CBS started the night with the “King of Queens” (2.9), a repeat of “Two and a Half Men” (2.8) and repeats of “Criminal Minds” (3.5) and “CSI :NY” (3.2).

NBC was fourth with a time-period premiere of “Friday Night Lights,” down 15 percent from its previous average with a 2.3. “Lights” was followed by a time-period premiere of “Deal or No Deal” (3.5), and “Medium” (3.3).

ABC was forth, while in fifth place was The CW, which had the two-hour season premiere of “Beauty and the Geek” (2.2, with a 2.9 among adults 18 to 34). “Geek” was on par with its debut last year on The WB .

(Editor: Grego)