How to watch college football without cable this season
The 2024 college football season is officially in session.
This NCAA Division 1 football season marks the start of a new era — the traditional regional conferences and rivalries just got a major shake-up. The PAC-12 conference was dismantled last summer, which led to some conference scrambling. Starting this year — deep breath — USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington are part of the Big Ten alongside Ohio State, Penn State, and other top teams; Stanford and Cal have joined the ACC; and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah have joined the Big 12 with TCU, UCF, and Texas Tech as potential new rivals. (Just two schools are left in the PAC-12, which is already set to change again next season.
It’s also the first year with more than four playoff teams. In other words, college football is about to have a strange and exciting year.
If you want to tune into the 2024-2025 NCAA football season, we’ve got you covered. Keep scrolling to learn how to watch college football without cable in 2024, which channels you’re going to need, and the best ways to get them.
Can I watch college football games without cable?
Yes, you can watch college football without cable, but unless you sign up for a live TV service like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV, you’ll need a patchwork of streaming apps. The 2024 college football season will be broadcast across an array of local channels, specialty sports networks, and even a couple streaming services. If you don’t have cable, you still have plenty of options to tune into games, but deciding which works best for you is tricky.
A live TV streaming service or cable replacement will give you the most comprehensive channel selection but will also cost you the most money. However, the good news is that you can cancel at any time, unlike cable. A single streaming service like Paramount Plus or ESPN+ will give you access to a slim number of games but will cost you less than 10 bucks per month. (TL;DR: you get what you pay for.)
What channels are college football games on?
Before you decide on which live TV service or streaming app you need to watch NCAA college football games, you need to know which networks your team(s) plays on. Check the conference list below to see which channels and streamers will air games for each conference in 2024. Not sure which conference your team is in? Check out the list over at ESPN.com.
American Athletic Conference (AAC) — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) — ABC, ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, The CW
Big 12 — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, Fox, Fox Sports 1
Big Ten — Big Ten Network, CBS, Fox, Fox Sports 1, NBC, Peacock
Conference USA — CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
FBS independents — CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN+, NBC, Peacock
Mid-American Conference (MAC) — CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
Mountain West Conference (MW) — CBS, CBS Sports Network, Fox, Fox Sports 1, truTV
Pac-12 Conference — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Pac-12 Network, The CW
Southeastern Conference (SEC) — ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, SEC Network, SEC+
Sun Belt Conference — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
What are the best streaming services for college football?
As noted above, the best streaming service for college football depends on your team and budget. The best streaming apps for live sports run the gamut of pricing — from eight bucks per month to a whopping $ 100 per month. The best live TV streaming services include YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and Sling. Sling is the most affordable of the bunch, but gives you access to a more limited live channel selection, while YouTube TV, Hulu, and Fubo offer hundreds of channels but cost a bit more. You can also watch limited live games on Peacock, Paramount+, and ESPN+ — some of which will exclusively host games this season.
It’s just as, if not more, confusing as watching NFL games this season.
To help with your decision, we’ve rounded up the best streaming deals for college football fans. You can also check out the complete broadcast schedule on the NCAA website.
The best live TV streaming deals for NCAAF 2024
Best live TV streaming deal: Sling Season Pass
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network
By prepaying for four months of Sling Orange, Blue, and Sports Extra in the Sling Season Pass, you can save $ 92. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, while the Sports Extra package unlocks access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. It’ll cost you $ 199 for four months of Sling Season Pass, which is significantly cheaper than any other live TV streaming service. Just be sure to check your local market to ensure you’ll have access to the channels you need.
Best YouTube TV deal: $ 64.99/month for your first 4 months
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW
The best value for a live TV streaming service, YouTube TV gives you access to over 100 live channels. Those include most of the ones you need to watch college football games live — NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, as well as specialty networks like Fox Sports 1, and SEC Network. For a limited time, YouTube TV is offering new users a discount on their first four months of service. Plus, you can kick things off with a 10-day free trial. The base plan usually costs $ 72.99 per month, but you’ll pay just $ 64.99 per month (save $ 32) for your first four months.
Best bang for your buck: Get Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN+ together
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW
While other live TV streamers might cost a little less, Hulu’s live TV service definitely offers the most bang for your buck. You’ll pay $ 76.99 per month (after a three-day trial) and get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). For comparison, YouTube TV is typically $ 72.99 per month and only includes the live channels. With ESPN+, you’ll unlock access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more.
Best live TV streaming deal for sports junkies: Take $ 30 off your first month of Fubo
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW
Fubo isn’t our first choice for a live TV streaming service, but we do like that it takes sports seriously. With a Pro subscription (the most affordable tier), you’ll get access to most college football broadcasts for $ 79.99 per month. But hardcore fans will probably want to upgrade to the Elite plan for $ 99.99/month, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network as well. Either way, you can test the waters for seven days before you pay and, for a limited time, take $ 30 off your first month.
Best for CBS games only: Paramount+ with Showtime annual subscription
Channels: CBS
If your team is in the Big Ten or plays on CBS and you’re only a casual college football fan, a subscription to Paramount+ with Showtime is probably the best option. Paramount+ with Showtime allows you to tune into live CBS broadcasts of Big Ten games, including the Week 4 showdown between new conference rivals USC and Michigan, plus the 2024 Big Ten championship game in December. It’s regularly $ 12.99 per month, but you can save 17% by paying for a year upfront. That knocks the monthly cost down to just $ 9.99.
Best for NBC and Peacock games: Peacock Premium yearly subscription
Channels: NBC, Peacock
Similar to Paramount+, Peacock offers simulcasts of games airing on NBC throughout the 2024 season. Plus, Peacock offers exclusive broadcasts as well. It’s already pretty affordable at $ 7.99 per month, but you can save about 17% by paying for a year upfront. That knocks the monthly price down to $ 6.67, or $ 79.99 per year.
More Peacock deals:
Peacock Premium for $ 1.99 per month for first responders (save $ 6 per month)
Free Peacock Premium with Instacart+ (save $ 7.99 per month)
Best for ESPN+ games: Save 15% on an ESPN+ Annual Plan
Channels: ESPN+, plus some games on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC
Opt into ESPN+ for an entire year and pay $ 109.99 instead of $ 131.88. That saves you 15% overall and gives you access to hundreds of college football games across 20 different conferences this season. ESPN+ will also be the exclusive home to 16 SEC games, over 10 ACC games, and over 20 Big 12 games. It’s also worth noting that as of Oct. 17, the price per month will rise to $ 11.99 and the price per year will jump to $ 119.99. In other words, it saves you $ 10 to sign up for an annual plan before then.
For just $ 4 more per month, you can also add ESPN+ to a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu.
