How to Watch College Football 2022–2023
Don't miss another college football game day. We’ve spent two seasons researching and testing the best TV options for catching your favorite collegiate teams in action.
DIRECTV
Price: $64.99–$154.99/mo.
College football channels: ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and more
DVR storage: 200 hrs. included
Contract: 2 yrs.
DIRECTV
Price: $64.99–$154.99/mo.
College football channels: ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and more
DVR storage: 200 hrs. included
Contract: 2 yrs.
fuboTV
Price: $74.99–$94.99/mo.
College football channels: CBS Sports Network, FS2, Pac-12 Networks, and more
DVR storage: 1,000 hrs. included
Contract: N/A
fuboTV
Price: $74.99–$94.99/mo.
College football channels: CBS Sports Network, FS2, Pac-12 Networks, and more
DVR storage: 1,000 hrs. included
Contract: N/A
Sling TV
Price: $40.00–$55.00/mo.
College football channels: ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and more
DVR storage: 50 hrs. included
Contract: N/A
Sling TV
Price: $40.00–$55.00/mo.
College football channels: ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and more
DVR storage: 50 hrs. included
Contract: N/A
ESPN+
Price: $9.99/mo. or $99.99/yr.
College football content: Exclusive live games and on-demand replays
Features: 10,000+ live sports events and full 30 for 30 library
Contract: N/A
ESPN+
Price: $9.99/mo. or $99.99/yr.
College football content: Exclusive live games and on-demand replays
Features: 10,000+ live sports events and full 30 for 30 library
Contract: N/A
College football is back in session. Over a thousand college football games will take place from August to December—leading into the 2022–2023 college bowl season.
DIRECTV is our favorite provider for watching college football because of its wide range of sports channels and regional networks. Plus, the satellite TV service offers many out-of-market sports packages for the most comprehensive viewing experience.
fuboTV is an excellent alternative for cord-cutters who want conference football coverage without signing a long-term TV contract. But casual football fans might enjoy a less expensive service like Sling TV or ESPN+.
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’ll also want ESPN, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and CBS Sports Network for the most national coverage.
Conference channels like ACC Network, Big Ten Network (BTN), and SEC Network also air a lot of collegiate matchups. Of course, you only need these channels based on the conference your favorite teams play in.
Pro tip: Our weekly college football schedule is a great page to bookmark on your computer or mobile device, so you don’t miss this season’s biggest matchups.
Our table below outlines all the channels you’ll need to watch the most college football action. We’ve also included our provider recommendations in the table so you can see what channels each provider offers.
| College football channels | DIRECTV | fuboTV | Sling TV | OTA antenna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | ✔ | ✔ | — | ✔ |
| ACC Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
| ACC Network Extra | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
| BTN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
| CBS | ✔ | ✔ | — | ✔ |
| CBS Sports Network | ✔ | ✔ | — | — |
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| ESPN2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| ESPN3 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| ESPN+ | — | — | — | — |
| ESPNU | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
| FOX | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* | ✔ |
| FS1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| FS2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
| Longhorn Network | ✔ | — | ✔** | — |
| NBC | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* | ✔ |
| Pac-12 Networks | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
| SEC Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
| SEC Network+ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔** | — |
*Available only in select markets.
**Available in Sling TV’s Sports Extra add-on based on base package.
Streaming-only college football channels
Outside traditional TV channels, many college football games stream exclusively on ESPN+ each season. In 2022, the streaming service will host over 150 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) matchups—including ACC, Big 12, SEC, and Sun Belt games. But that’s just a fraction of ESPN+’s overall college football programming.
You can also stream exclusive college football games on ACC Network Extra, ESPN3, and SEC Network+. The three channels are available to anyone with a TV plan that features ACC Network, ESPN, and SEC Network. To access the complimentary streaming content, you’ll need to sign in to ESPN.com or the ESPN app with your TV provider credentials.
Pro tip: All ACC and SEC games that appear on ESPN+ also appear on ACC Network Extra and SEC Network+.
Editor’s choice: DIRECTV
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*w/ 24-mo. agmt. AutoPay and Paperless Bill req’d. Advanced Receiver Service Fee $15.00/mo. and Regional Sports Fee up to $13.99/mo. are extra & apply.
Pros
- Every major college football channel
- Wide regional sports network (RSN) availability
Cons
- 2-yr. contract
- Bulky satellite dish
- No longer offers NFL SUNDAY TICKET
Our favorite TV plan for watching college football is DIRECTV’s CHOICE package ($84.99 a month) with the DIRECTV SPORTS PACK add-on ($13.99 a month). You’ll get every major college football channel and several specialty sports networks for the most national and regional collegiate coverage.
The DIRECTV SPORTS PACK add-on is crucial for hardcore college football fans. It provides subscribers with out-of-market regional sports networks (RSNs)—meaning you can watch more of your favorite non-local college teams play with less regional blackouts.
Pro tip: The biggest college football games missing from DIRECTV are the ones that stream exclusively on ESPN+. But you can always subscribe to the streaming service separately for $9.99 a month.
Unlike cable providers such as Spectrum and Xfinity, DIRECTV is widely available across the US. You only need a clear place on your property to install the DIRECTV satellite dish.
Of course, having a dish isn’t an option for everyone—especially if you live in an apartment or relocate often. DIRECTV’s plans are also expensive and lock you into a two-year contract where the price increases after the first year.
But if your love of the game has no limits, DIRECTV will set you up nicely for the 2022–2023 football season.
Best for streaming: fuboTV
Data effective as of post date. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Pros
- Excellent sports coverage
- Large channel counts
- Slick interface
Cons
- Expensive pricing
- No TBS, TNT, or TruTV for college basketball
When it comes to watching college football online, fuboTV’s Elite plan ($84.99 a month) offers the best viewing experience. Cord-cutters get over 15 college football channels, including conference networks like ACC Network, Pac-12 Networks, and SEC Network.
We single out the Elite plan because it comes with the fubo Extra and News Plus packages—adding over 50 channels more than fuboTV’s Pro plan ($74.99 a month).
Regardless of which fuboTV plan you choose, you’ll get 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage space. It’s not unlimited like what Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV offer, but it’s still a significant amount for recording and replaying your favorite games. And we’re not talking just college football.
fuboTV is an excellent service for fans of all sports. After all, it includes the four major league channels: MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, and NHL Network. Plus, fuboTV carries beIN SPORTS channels—something DIRECTV doesn’t offer—making it our top choice for watching soccer games. (You know, the other type of football.)
In the case of college sports, fuboTV finds a head-to-head competitor in Hulu + Live TV. Its plans start at $69.99 a month, include ESPN+ at no extra cost, and have TBS, TNT, and TruTV for watching the NCAA college basketball tournament. But fuboTV’s Elite option wins by having a larger overall selection of sports channels and carrying the Pac-12 Networks.
Best value: Sling TV
Data effective as of post date. Compatible device and internet connection required. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Pros
- Customizable plans
- Inexpensive pricing
- Diverse sign-up deals
Cons
- Poor local channel coverage
- Limited DVR space included
Sling TV offers two $40-a-month packages: Sling Blue and Sling Orange. They both include national college football coverage, with ESPN channels offered in Sling Orange and FOX Sports channels available in Sling Blue.
We label Sling TV as the provider with the best value because it’s one of the cheapest ways to get ESPN and ESPN2. That’s why we recommend choosing the Sling Orange plan for watching college football.
Sling TV also offers a combined Sling Orange + Blue plan for $55 a month. It gives you the best of both worlds at a lower price than fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV. The only drawback to any Sling TV plan is that it only includes local channels like FOX and NBC in select markets
Pro tip: To make up for not having local channels, Sling TV offers a free antenna when you prepay for two months of service. Still, not everyone lives in an area where local channels are available. But you can learn more about this antenna offer and other promotions on our Sling TV Deals page.
When it comes to extras, get ready—Sling TV has a scroll-like list of add-ons. The Sports Extra add-on (starting at $11 a month) is the way to go if you want more college football coverage. Its channel selection varies depending on your base plan, but it offers every major conference channel.
The only problem with Sling TV’s add-ons is that they bring your monthly bill closer to fuboTV’s price tag. If you end up wanting the Sling Orange & Blue plan with the Sports Extra add-on, you’re looking at paying over $65 a month.
Cheapest: ESPN Plus
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
ESPN+ is $9.99/mo. or $99.99/yr. Cancel Anytime.
Pros
- Inexpensive pricing
- Rich on-demand sports library
- Exclusive college conference content
Cons
- Traditional ESPN networks not included
- Limited NFL games
- Regional blackouts for major league sports
At $9.99 a month, ESPN+ is the cheapest TV service for watching college football. Typically, the word cheap is associated with less-than-stellar products. But ESPN+ is one of the best streaming services for sports—especially when it comes to college athletics.
During the 2022 college football season, ESPN+ will host more than 50 NCAA football games in the first three weeks alone. Its season-long coverage includes select games from some of the most popular conferences in the country, as highlighted in the list below.
- Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
- American Athletic Conference
- Big 12 Conference
- Big South Conference
- Big Sky Conference
- The Ivy League
- Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC)
- Mid-American Conference (MAC)
- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
- Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)
- Conference USA
- Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)
- Patriot League
- Pioneer Football League (PFL)
- Southeastern Conference (SEC)
- Southern Conference (SoCon)
- Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
- Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)
- Southland Conference (SLC)
- Sun Belt Conference (SBC)
- Western Athletic Conference (WAC)
Football action doesn’t stop at the college level on ESPN+. This year, pro football fans will get one NFL International Series game and every XFL game. The streaming service also has tons of NHL and UFC coverage to keep you busy when football games aren’t happening.
But wait, there’s more. Once the college football season is over, you’ll want to stick around for college basketball. After all, ESPN+ streams more than 5,000 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball games per season.
How to watch college football for free
CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price; $57.67 (as of 07/19/22 9:00 a.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.
Local channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC all air college football live for free. But you’ll need to connect an over-the-air (OTA) digital antenna to your TV to access the channels without subscribing to a paid TV plan.
A good quality antenna costs between $20 and $60, and it’s a one-time purchase that’ll grant you local TV access for many years. Typically, the more expensive antennas have the most extended range. But you can verify the type of range you need by entering your zip code in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Reception Map Tool. It’ll list the tower distances for each channel near you.
One of our favorite antennas is the Mohu Leaf 50 ($57.67 on Amazon†) because it has a 60-mile range with a built-in amplifier for stronger channel reception. But we highlight more antenna recommendations on our Best Antennas for Cord-Cutters guide—including outdoor antennas with longer ranges.
Final take
College football games air nationally across many channels each season—meaning you’ll likely receive some form of live college sports no matter your TV plan.
DIRECTV is a touchdown for college football fans because it offers every major pigskin channel alongside many regional sports networks and additional sports packages. The satellite TV service’s CHOICE plan ($84.99 a month) ensures you’ll get solid college football coverage. But you can take it a step further with the DIRECTV SPORTS PACK add-on ($13.99 a month)—featuring over 40 sports channels like CBS Sports Network, ESPN College Extra, and Longhorn Network.
fuboTV’s Elite plan ($84.99 a month) also offers many must-have college sports channels without requiring a two-year contract like DIRECTV. Its emphasis on sports will please multi-sport fans—especially those who love soccer.
Sling TV is a much more inexpensive option than DIRECTV and fuboTV. The streaming service has customizable plans starting at $40.00 a month, and you can always adjust your plan according to which channels you prefer.
ESPN+ ($9.99 a month) is also a cheap way to watch college football games. While you won’t necessarily get marquee matchups, you’ll be able to stream many of the games missing from traditional TV channels. Ultimately, ESPN+ works great independently and as a companion service to our other recommendations.
How to watch college football FAQ
Is there an app to watch college football games?
There isn’t an 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 any live college football games. But you can watch every Thursday Night Football matchup through the streaming service.
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.
Methodology
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 2022–2023 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.
*For 12 months plus taxes and fees w/24 mo agmt. AutoPay & Paperless bill req’d. Regional Sports Fee up to $11.99/mo is extra & tax applies. Prices higher in 2nd year.
†Amazon.com price as of 07/19/22 9:00 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.
