How To Watch College Football Streams Without Cable 2024–2025
College football is back in session! Our sports experts present the best ways to watch your favorite college teams without cable this season.
More than 1,000 college football games happen from August to December—leading into college bowl season. You can watch key matchups on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, but most games air on ESPN channels and college conference networks.
Hulu + Live TV is our favorite streaming service for college football. It offers unlimited DVR storage and every ESPN channel—even ESPN+ at no extra cost. Sling TV and Fubo are also excellent services for cord-cutters seeking flexible channel offerings.
Keep reading to learn more about our top provider recommendations—including a complete list of college football channels.
What channels are college football games on?
You can find college football games across various channels and streaming services. Local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC still broadcast some of the biggest games. But you also want ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FOX Sports 1 (FS1), and CBS Sports Network for extra coverage.
Conference channels like ACC Network, Big Ten Network, and SEC Network also air many collegiate matchups. Even if your favorite team doesn’t belong to those conferences, you may still need the channels to watch certain away games. That’s because home team affiliation determines which channels carry college football fixtures.
College football channels:
- ABC
- ACC Network
- Big Ten Network
- CBS
- CBS Sports Network
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPNU
- ESPN+
- FOX
- FS1
- FS2
- NBC
- NFL Network
- Peacock
- SEC Network
- The CW
- truTV
For exclusive streaming options, ESPN+ offers many college football games, while Peacock carries exclusive games and NBC simulcasts. Similarly, all games that air on CBS also stream on Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. You can also stream some games via ACC Network Extra, ESPN3, and SEC Network+ by signing in to ESPN.com or the ESPN app with your TV provider credentials.
Pro tip: If you prefer Spanish-language commentary, some college football games air on ESPN Deportes and Fox Deportes.
College football conference channels
Our table below outlines every channel you need to watch games in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). For Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) conferences like the Big Sky Conference and the Ivy League, you can find most games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN+.
| Conference | Channels |
|---|---|
| American Athletic Conference (AAC) |
|
| Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) |
|
| Big 12 Conference |
|
| Big Ten Conference |
|
| Conference USA |
|
| Division I FBS Independents |
|
| Mid-American Conference (MAC) |
|
| Mountain West Conference (MW) |
|
| Southeastern Conference (SEC) |
|
| Sun Belt Conference |
|
Data effective as of post date.
2024–2025 college football schedule
The college football schedule runs from Week 0 in late August to the College Football Playoff National Championship in mid-January. This year, the College Football Playoff also expands to 12 teams for the first time in its history.
Check out our weekly CFB Schedule watch guide for the latest game times, matchup takes, and channel listings. Otherwise, we outline the scope of the five-month season in the table below.
| Event | Start date | Channels |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Season Kickoff (Week 0) | August 24, 2024 | CBS, ESPN, FS1, CBS Sports Network |
| Conference Championship Games | December 1, 2024 | ABC, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, FOX |
| College Football Bowl Games | December 14, 2024 | ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX |
| College Football Playoff | December 20, 2024 | ABC, ESPN, TNT Sports |
| College Football National Championship | January 20, 2025 | ESPN |
Data effective as of post date.
Best ways to watch college football games
The best streaming service for watching college football varies based on the games, teams, and conferences you follow. For the ultimate coverage, we recommend Hulu + Live TV because it’s the only TV provider to include ESPN+ alongside all major college football channels. It also has unlimited cloud DVR storage, so you can record as many games as your gridiron-loving heart desires.
If you need more channels for the rest of your household, Fubo takes the field as the next best option. The live TV streaming service carries every essential college football channel and offers regional sports networks (RSNs) for added local coverage. The downside is that Fubo costs more than Hulu + Live TV, and you need to get ESPN+ on its own for the most well-rounded viewing experience. It also lacks TBS, TNT, and truTV, which are crucial for watching some football matchups and many college basketball games.
Check out our comparison table below to see how streaming services stack up regarding college football coverage.
| Service | Price | Channels/content | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV STREAM | $69.99–$149.99/mo. |
| View plans Read DIRECTV STREAM review |
| ESPN+ | $10.99/mo. or $109.99/yr. | Exclusive live and on-demand games from 25+ conferences | View plans Read ESPN+ review |
| Fubo | $32.99–$99.99/mo. |
| View plans Read Fubo review |
| Hulu + Live TV | $76.99–$89.99/mo. |
| View plans Read Hulu + Live TV review |
| Paramount+ | $7.99–$12.99/mo. or $59.99–$119.99/yr. | CBS simulcasts available in Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan | View plans Read Paramount+ review |
| Peacock | $7.99–$13.99/mo. or $79.99–$139.99/yr. | NBC simulcasts available alongside exclusive Big Ten Conference and Notre Dame games | View plans Read Peacock review |
| Sling TV | $40.00–$55.00/mo. |
| View plans Read Sling TV review |
| YouTube TV | $72.99/mo. |
| View plans Read YouTube TV review |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
How to watch college football for free
CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price; $39.99 (as of 8/8/24 9:45 a.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.
Local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and The CW air college football live for free. But you need to connect an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to your TV to access the channels without a paid TV plan.
Quality antennas typically cost between $20 and $60. When choosing an antenna, keep in mind the price often corresponds with the antenna’s range. That’s why it’s important to look up how far you are from broadcast towers in your area by entering your zip code into the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Reception Map Tool.
One of our favorite antennas is the Mohu Leaf 50 because of its 60-mile range and built-in amplifier for stronger reception. But we highlight more recommendations in our Best OTA Antennas guide.
How to stream college football on Reddit
You can score live college football streams for free online through various Reddit communities. But we don’t recommend going this route, as accessing unofficial streams can expose your device to intrusive ads, viruses, and malware. (Plus, it’s still illegal even if you’re not the one selling or distributing the content.)
You’re better off exploring legitimate streaming services like Hulu + Live TV and Fubo to ensure a safe and reliable viewing experience. Fortunately, Fubo offers a seven-day free trial if you’re not ready to commit to a TV plan.
How to watch college football FAQ
Can you stream college football?
Yes, you can stream college football across many different services. Hulu + Live TV and Fubo are our favorite live TV streaming services for college football, but Sling TV and ESPN+ also provide solid coverage.
Is there an app to watch college football games?
There isn’t a dedicated app that carries every college football game. But you can watch games through your TV provider’s dedicated app. Some individual channels also have apps, with the ESPN and FOX Sports apps hosting many college football games.
Can you watch college football on Amazon Prime?
No, Amazon Prime Video doesn’t carry live college football games. But you can watch some matchups with the Paramount+ channel add-on. Otherwise, you can watch every Thursday Night Football game through Prime Video.
What channels are the college bowl games on?
Most college bowl games air on ESPN networks—including ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. CBS and FOX also carry select bowl games.
Where can I listen to college football on the radio?
You can usually catch live game coverage of your state’s most dominant college football team on your local sports radio station. Some of the country’s biggest college football matchups also air nationally on ESPN Radio—including the CFP National Championship.
Why you should trust us
Our sports experts have over two seasons of research and hands-on testing under their belts for determining the best ways to watch college football. For the 2024–2025 season, we reexamined the most popular TV providers head-to-head and formed our recommendations based on channel lineups, pricing, and ease of use.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
Disclaimer
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Amazon.com price as of 8/8/24 9:45 a.m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.
