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Before we get started, if you want to stream college football without cable, you’ll need a device to stream the games on. Most of the streaming services we discuss below can be accessed just like Netflix or any other video app, meaning you can watch using your phone, tablet, computer, or TV with a connected streaming player (e.g. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, etc.). You can check out our guide to the best streaming devices if you need to pick one up. Now, you’re ready to go! Read on to learn about the best ways to watch college football online.
Which College Football Channels Do You Need?
Before we dive into the streaming services that will let you watch college football without cable, let’s break down the key college football channels you need and which streaming services offer them.
The most important thing to realize is that the ESPN family of networks covers about 80% of all college football TV games. So, if you don’t have those, you’re going to miss out on most college football games that are on TV. Of course, if you’re only interested in following a specific conference (e.g. Pac 12) or team, you might be able to get away with not having those channels.
Here’s a full overview of the college football channels carrying games in 2019:
| Hulu Live | Fubo TV | Sling TV | AT&T TV NOW | YouTube TV | PlayStation Vue | |
| ABC | Yes (143 markets) | No | Yes (via WatchESPN app) | Yes (71 markets) | Yes (96 markets) | Yes (31 markets) |
| CBS | Yes (139 markets) | Yes (71 markets) | No | Currently blacked out, may return | Yes (96 markets) | Yes (104 markets) |
| FOX | Yes (177 markets) | Yes (98 markets) | Yes (17 markets) | Yes 105 markets) | Yes (95 markets) | Yes (64 markets) |
| NBC | Yes (145 markets) | Yes (80 markets) | Yes (11 markets) | Yes 82 markets) | Yes (94 markets) | Yes (40 markets) |
| ACC Network | Yes (via WatchESPN app)
| No | Yes
| Yes (via WatchESPN app) | Yes (via WatchESPN app) | Yes (via WatchESPN app) |
| Hulu Live | Fubo TV | Sling TV | DIRECTV NOW | YouTube TV | PlayStation Vue | |
| Big Ten Network | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CBS Sports | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN2 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN3 | Yes (via WatchESPN app) | No | Yes
| Yes (via WatchESPN app) | Yes (via WatchESPN app) | Yes (via WatchESPN app) |
| ESPN U | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPNews | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESPN Goal Line | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Hulu Live | Fubo TV | Sling TV | DIRECTV NOW | YouTube TV | PlayStation Vue | |
| Fox College Sports | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| FOX Sports Regionals | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FS1 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Longhorn Network | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| NBCSN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pac 12 Network | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| SEC Network | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stadium | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
You can see a full TV schedule here for more details.
Hulu Live Offers a Complete Way to Watch College Football Online
With the most local network coverage plus key national and regional sports channels, Hulu Live makes it easy to watch every snap
Price: $45/month+ (free 7-day trial)
What’s Missing?: Pac-12 Network, Stadium, FOX College Sports
College Football Games You Can Stream: National regular season games, local games in many markets, bowl games, college football playoffs and national championship
App Authentication: WatchESPN, FOX Sports Go, NBC Sports, BTN2Go, CBS Sports,
Device Availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, and more.
Hulu Live is a great service for watching college football without cable because it offers a little bit of everything — the widest coverage of local broadcast channels across the US, key national and regional college football channels, and more. With Hulu Live, you’ll have access to just about every college football broadcast in your area, with very few exceptions (Pac 12 Network being the main one).
More Locals, More Sports
The limited availability of local broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX) has always been a drawback to live streaming services. But here, Hulu Live excels, offering more than 600 markets covered across the country for the 4 major networks. Most areas of the country will get the four broadcast networks with Hulu, which are vital for college sports.
That’s not the only area where Hulu separates itself from the others. Included in your Hulu Live subscription is full access to the classic Hulu on-demand, a Netflix-like service that’s loaded with hit TV shows, Hulu Originals, and more.
- $45/month for 60+ channels, the Hulu on-demand service, and tons of excellent features
- No contract. No hidden fees. Cancel any time you want.
- The most local network coverage of any streaming service
- Stream on practically any device — Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Roku, Xbox, Android, iPhone/iPad, etc.
- Record and store up to 50 hours of content with included Cloud DVR service
- Try Hulu with Live TV free for 7 days
Check out our full Hulu Live TV review for more information.
Stream College Football Live on Sling TV
Save money while getting the college football action you crave
Price: $25/month+ (free 7-day trial)
What’s Missing?: Longhorn Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, a few regional sports networks (e.g. Root Sports), NBC/FOX in some areas
College Football Games You Can Stream: National regular season games, local games in many markets, bowl games, college football playoffs and national championship
App Authentication: WatchESPN, FOX Sports Go, NBC Sports,
Device Availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox One, AirTV, Android TV, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, and more.
Another easy and affordable option for college football streaming is Sling TV. This service, a product of Dish Network, offers several options to stream college football conferences all across the U.S.
Key college football channels available on Sling TV include nationwide coverage of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 (access ABC games and more this way), ESPNU, SEC Network, FS1, FS2, Pac 12 Network, and much more. NBC/FOX are also included in some markets (app authentication can let you access games even if you don’t live in a market where the channels are available live). FOX and NBC regional sports networks are covered in select areas, and Sling TV also carries ESPN’s Goal Line channel which bounces around from game to game all Saturday long with live look-ins across every conference, similar to the popular NFL RedZone channel.
There are various packages available, so be sure to choose the best ones for your needs.
The Budget-Friendly, Customizable Option
Sling TV is different than most live streaming services for a couple of reasons: 1) It has a low starting price point; 2) It’s the closest thing to a build-your-own-bundle TV service available today.
Plans start from just $25 per month, and you can also add more channels to your lineup with genre-specific add-on packages that are very affordably priced. This lets you customize your channel package to your exact tastes while spending as little or as much as you’d like.
- Starts at $25/month
- Great for budget-conscious streamers
- A la carte type plans let you pick and choose channel bundles to create your perfect package
- No contracts — pay monthly and cancel any time
- Combine Orange and Blue base packages for a discounted rate of $40 to get the best selection to watch college football online
- Non-sports channels include AMC, TNT, TBS, HGTV, and much more.
- Available on numerous streaming devices (Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, AirTV, etc.), iOS and Android phones and tablets, select smart TVs, and computers
- Cloud DVR can be added for $5/month so you can record shows and events
- The only streaming service to have ESPN3 included directly in their interface, so no need to use the WatchESPN app
- Limited coverage of NBC/FOX, as Sling only carries the channels in a small number of markets
- Try Sling TV free for 7 days
Check out our Sling TV review for more info. If you’re in need of a streaming device, it’s a good idea to check here for special device deals that may be running.
Watch college football games online free for a week by starting with a FREE 7-day trial of Sling TV today.
Watch College Football Streaming Live with PlayStation Vue
More simultaneous streams means everyone in the family can watch what they want
Price: $50/month+ (free 5-day trial)
What’s Missing?: Pac-12 Network, a few regional sports networks (e.g. Root Sports)
College Football Games You Can Stream: National regular season games, local games in many markets, bowl games, college football playoffs and national championship
App Authentication: WatchESPN, FOX Sports Go, NBC Sports, BTN2Go
Device Availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, PS3/PS4, Android TV, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, and more.
PlayStation Vue is Sony’s live streaming service and offers yet another way to watch college football without cable. It starts at $50 per month with live local access to NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX in many markets (though not as many as Hulu Live covers), and also includes the ESPN family of networks, FOX Sports national and regional stations, conference networks, and more. In short, Vue covers the vast majority of channels you’ll need for college football streaming.
The Whole Family Can Stream Live TV
The great thing about Vue is that it offers more simultaneous streams at no extra charge than any other service. Up to 5 people can stream Vue at the same time, making it a great choice for large households where everyone has something they want to watch on their own. There’s also the option to setup personalized profiles on the cloud DVR to better organize each person’s recordings.
- Starts at $45/month
- 5 simultaneous streams is more than any other service offers without extra fees
- Great selection of channels for streaming college football
- Available on numerous devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 3&4, Nvidia Shield, mobile devices, and more
- Try PlayStation Vue free for 5 days
Check out our PlayStation Vue review, or click here to try a free 5-day trial.
Stream College Football Games Without Cable via fuboTV
Get more regional sports channels than any other service
Price: $55/month+ (free 7-day trial)
What’s Missing?: ESPN networks, ABC, Longhorn Network, ACC Network
College Football Games You Can Stream: Some national regular season games, local games in many markets
App Authentication: FOX Sports Go, NBC Sports, CBS, BTN2Go
Device Availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, and more.
fuboTV is a premium sports streaming service that works over the internet. Starting at $55 a month, you’ll get access to over 90 channels, most of which revolve around sports. fuboTV provides access to NCAA football live stream via a number of key channels. Most notably, fubo offers FOX, NBC, CBS, CBSSN, FS1, BTN, and regional sports networks – all of which provide college football live stream for games. Note that some local and regional channels are only available in select areas.
Of course, the main drawback to using fuboTV for NCAA football is the lack of ESPN-owned networks. That means you aren’t getting ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ABC, ESPNU, ESPNews, or SEC Network. So if you’re really into getting the most college football streaming action, fuboTV might not be your best bet. But if you’re looking for an all-in-one service that covers a huge variety of sports, fuboTV is a great option.
The Most US and International Sports Coverage Overall
While fuboTV might not be the most complete option for streaming college football, its overall sports coverage is hard to match. No other streaming service carries as many sports channels.
- The most regional sports networks of any service — FOX Sports regionals, NBC Sports regionals, MSG, NESN, SportsTime Ohio, and more
- Great selection of international and niche sports channels — Eleven Sports, Chelsea TV, Primeira Liga TV, One World Sports, and more
- League channels — NBA TV, NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and more
- Plans from $55 per month
- Cloud DVR w/ 30 hours of storage included (can be upgraded to 500 hours of storage for small fee)
- Live sporting events have the least delay of any streaming service, so you don’t have to worry about your stream being minutes behind and getting spoilers for big plays
- Available on Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, desktop, and more
- Watch everything from football to soccer to hockey and more
- Try fuboTV free for 7 days
Check out our fuboTV review for all the info.
Want to watch college football online free for a week? Try out a FREE 7-day trial of fuboTV!
YouTube TV Offers a Great Way to Stream College Football on the Go
Watch what you want, where you want
Price: $50/month+ (free 7-day trial)
What’s Missing?: Pac-12 Network, Stadium, FOX College Sports, Longhorn Network, ESPN Goal Line
College Football Games You Can Stream: National regular season games, local games in many markets, bowl games, college football playoffs and national championship
App Authentication: WatchESPN, FOX Sports Go, NBC Sports, BTN2Go, CBS Sports
Device Availability: Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, and more.
YouTube is a name we all know, but what many people don’t realize is you can now get a full package of cable channels with YouTube TV. The Google-backed streaming service has a great selection of channels, including expansive coverage of local broadcast networks (though still trails Hulu Live and Vue here) and many of your favorite national channels.
Lots to Love, Some Room for Growth
YouTube TV is the newest service mentioned in this article, but it has quickly become very popular for good reason. It offers a great set of channels, unique features, and the backing of a trusted company like Google.
Perhaps what we love most about YouTube TV is it arguably has the most user-friendly mobile app, making streaming on the go a breeze.
- $50/month — pay monthly and cancel any time
- Solid selection of popular channels, including many of the most important college football networks
- Missing some popular entertainment and lifestyle channels (e.g. HGTV, Comedy Central, Discovery, etc.)
- Cloud DVR with unlimited storage
- Available on Apple TV, Chromecast, Nvidia Shield, Roku, Apple mobile devices, Android mobile devices, and more (no Fire TV at this time)
- Try YouTube TV free for 7 days
For more info, see our YouTube TV review or try it free for 7 days.
Get a College Football Live Stream and Much More on DIRECTV NOW
Get a broad variety of channels for the whole family
Price: $50/month+ (free 7-day trial)
What’s Missing?: Pac-12 Network, Stadium, FOX College Sports, locals (NBC, CBS, FOX) in some markets, few regional sports networks (e.g. Root Sports)
College Football Games You Can Stream: National regular season games, local games in many markets, bowl games, college football playoffs and national championship
App Authentication: WatchESPN, FOX Sports Go, NBC Sports, BTN2Go, CBS Sports,
Device Availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, and more.
AT&T TV NOW is a popular online streaming service brought to you by AT&T. It’s a true alternative to cable TV, and one of the most established live streaming services on the market. It’s also another great way to get an NCAA football live stream all season long.
This service has changed a lot over the years, and it’s no longer as competitive as it once was. To get the most CFB coverage possible, you’ll want to go with the $70/month package, which is not all that much cheaper than cable. With that said, AT&T TV NOW still offers a decent value, but it’s no longer the best choice for college football streaming.
Get It All with More Than Just College Football
AT&T TV NOW has a good selection of channels, if you’re willing to pay for them. It’s no longer as affordable as it once was, but it has a good variety of sports, news, entertainment and premium channels. There is also a lot of Spanish-language channels available.
Here are some highlights of the AT&T TV NOW service:
- No satellite needed
- Prices start at $65 per month
- No contract — pay monthly and cancel whenever you want
- A good option for those who want the most channels possible and don’t mind spending more for it
- Watch college football with all of the ESPN networks, CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, FOX Sports, and much more
- Record programs and live sports with included cloud DVR service (20 hours of storage)
- Stream on 2 devices at the same time (add a third simultaneous stream for a small fee)
- Watch on all your favorite devices — Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Google Chromecast, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, more
- Try AT&T TV NOW free for 7 days
You can learn a whole lot more about this service by checking out our AT&T TV NOW review.
Want to try it out? Check AT&T TV NOW out for free with a FREE 7-Day Trial! It’s a great way to watch college football online free for a week.
Other Niche Streaming Services for NCAA Football
While the above services are all more or less complete solutions for streaming college football games online, there are some other niche services that are worth knowing about.
Watch College Football Online with CBS All Access
Price: $5.99/month+ (free 7-day trial)
Key Channels Included: CBS
What’s Missing?: ESPN networks, FOX Sports Networks, CSN, regional sports networks, etc.
College Football Games You Can Stream: Saturday afternoon SEC games
Device Availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, PS4, Xbox, iOS devices, Android devices, web browsers, and more.
For some games, you can stream college football on CBS All Access, the stand alone package from the CBS network. This is an option for only the CBS-hosted games, so it’s far from a complete solution to watching college football online. That said, it’s super affordable, and also comes with a huge on-demand library of 10,000+ TV show episodes from CBS.
It is only $5.99 per month and also gives you access to a huge library of popular CBS shows on demand, and most importantly for those who want to watch college football online, you get the CBS live stream in 90% of markets across the country. Remember, CBS airs a couple of SEC Network games each Saturday.
It is currently available in over 150 markets, which covers roughly 90% of the county, and it is still expanding. You also get live streaming of your local CBS affiliate to watch your favorite shows right when they air. Here’s our review of CBS All Access to learn more.
CBS All Access can be viewed on a variety of mobile and streaming devices, so it is super convenient to watch college football games online with the service. Of course, this only works for games aired on CBS, so it’s a pretty limited option.
Start with a FREE Trial today!
ESPN+ to Stream Some College Football Games This Season
Price: $4.99/month+ (free 7-day trial)
Key Channels Included: ESPN+
What’s Missing?: Regular ESPN networks, FOX, FOX Sports Networks, NBC, NBC Sports, CBS, ABC, regional sports networks, etc.
College Football Games You Can Stream: 100+ exclusive games throughout the season
Device Availability: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, iOS devices, Android devices, and more.
ESPN+ is a new streaming service offered by the sports giant. Let’s get one thing out of the way — no, this does NOT give you access to the regular ESPN channels. ESPN+ is its own channel with exclusive content. So, no, you will not be able to stream college football games that are airing on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, etc. with this service.
However, ESPN+ does offer a lot of live college football on its own. Back in the 2018 season, ESPN+ hosted 100+ college football games, and a similar quantity is expected for this season. For the most part, these don’t seem to be major conference showdowns, but still, if you’re someone who craves the most college football live streaming as possible, this may be worth a look. The service is quite affordable, and has a lot of cool features for sports fans. Learn more in our ESPN+ review, or click here to try out a free trial!
College Football Streaming Guides by Team
| Alabama | South Florida |
| Auburn | Stanford |
| Clemson | Tennessee |
| Florida | Texas |
| Louisville | USC |
| LSU | Virginia Tech |
| Michigan | Washington State |
| Ohio State | West Virginia |
| Oklahoma State | Wisconsin |
| Penn State |
So, that is what we know about how to watch college football live stream without cable. More questions? Ask us below in the comments section. And check out our overview on how to watch sports online for more useful info.
