SMU enters its third season in the ACC after closing 2025 with its first bowl victory since 2012. The Mustangs have already shown they can compete in their new conference home, and another ACC schedule gives them plenty of high-profile matchups throughout the season.
For fans, ACC membership also means SMU football is widely available on national TV. Most conference-controlled games air across the ESPN family of networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, and ACC Network, while select ACC matchups appear on The CW. The Mustangs can pop up elsewhere depending on the opponent, too, with their 2026 trip to Notre Dame airing on NBC and Peacock.
That’s a lot of different channels and streaming options to keep track of, so I put together this watch guide to simplify your season. Keep scrolling for the Mustangs’ TV schedule, my top streaming pick, and more ways to watch SMU football.
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2025 SMU football TV schedule
At first glance, SMU could have a relatively easy schedule in 2026-2027.
The Mustangs won’t face most of last year’s best teams, with the exception of Virginia in the middle of the season. In fact, some of the games on their schedule are against some of the league’s bottom-feeders. If the team can stay healthy, they might be looking at 10 wins or more.
You can find the full SMU football TV schedule below, featuring the start times and channel listings that we’ll update each week.
CFB - SMU Mustangs Schedule
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
Monday, Sept. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | ||
UC Davis Aggies | Saturday, Sept. 12 | 4:00 p.m. | |
At Louisville Cardinals | Saturday, Sept. 19 | 3:30 p.m. | TBD |
Missouri State Bears | Saturday, Sept. 26 | TBD | TBD |
Boston College Eagles | Saturday, Oct. 3 | TBD | TBD |
Virginia Cavaliers | Saturday, Oct. 17 | TBD | TBD |
Saturday, Oct. 24 | TBD | TBD | |
Saturday, Oct. 31 | TBD | TBD | |
Virginia Tech Hokies | Friday, Nov. 6 | 7:00 p.m. | |
Wake Forest Demon Deacons | Saturday, Nov. 14 | TBD | TBD |
Saturday, Nov. 21 | 7:30 p.m. | ||
At Stanford Cardinal | Saturday, Nov. 28 | TBD | TBD |
Best TV plans for watching SMU Mustangs football
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
With SMU’s schedule spread across multiple broadcasters, my top recommendation is a service that can keep up: Hulu + Live TV. I always point college football fans in this direction because it’s the best all-in-one package for most teams’ unique schedules. It not only gets you the essential ACC channels like ESPN, ESPN2, and ACC Network, but it also includes those non-conference wild cards like CBS Sports Network.
On top of that great channel lineup, the value is fantastic. Your subscription includes ESPN+ content at no extra charge and comes with unlimited DVR storage to record games. Now, you might see some games listed on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX). But don’t panic. It’s not another channel you need to buy; it’s a digital hub you can access in the ESPN app, and your Hulu + Live TV login is all you need to unlock it.
How to watch SMU Mustangs football FAQ
Where can I watch the SMU Mustangs for free?
For any SMU football game on a broadcast network like ABC or The CW, your best bet is a one-time purchase of a digital antenna. But for games on premium channels like ESPN or ACC Network, I recommend using a free trial from a streaming service like DIRECTV or Fubo.
Where can I stream SMU games without cable?
To stream every SMU football game without cable, you’ll need a service that checks a few key boxes: the core ACC channels (ESPN, ACC Network) and non-conference networks like The CW and TNT. My top recommendation is Hulu + Live TV because it’s the simplest way to get all of them in one plan, with ESPN+ included to boot.
Can I watch SMU football on ESPN+?
Yes, you can watch SMU football on ESPN+. You’ll find one or two Mustangs games on the service each season, including simulcasts of many digital-only ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) games. ESPN+ is also a fantastic service for any general college sports fan, as it hosts thousands of events from several different conferences.
How do I watch SMU football if I live out of state?
When it comes to watching SMU football out of state, you can relax. Because the ACC’s partner channels (like ESPN and ACC Network) are all national, there are no regional restrictions or blackouts to worry about.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com Sports Editor, Taylor Kujawa, cross-referenced the official SMU Mustangs football schedule with the channel lineups of every major TV provider. Using those details, he selected our viewing recommendations based on channel availability, pricing, and ease of use.
This guide is updated regularly throughout the season to ensure our information is accurate. To learn more about our methods, check out our How We Rank page.
