How to Watch College Football Games Online Without Cable

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College football is in full swing, upgrading all of our Saturdays (before NFL Sundays hit). The season kicked off Aug. 23 and is now heading into Week 6. Ohio State, Oregon, Miami, and Ole Miss are currently sitting atop the AP Top 25 among a handful of teams with a perfect season so far. Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State are currently the odds-on favorites to win the championship, in that order.

At a Glance: How to Watch College Football Games

Stream: DirecTV, Fubo, Sling, Hulu + Live TV

TV Channels: ESPN channels, conference networks, TNT, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC

Season Dates: Now through Dec. 13, 2025

get free trial at directv

If you still don’t have a way to watch college football, read on. Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of the best ways to livestream NCAA football this season, including options with free trials.

How to Watch College Football Games Online

College football broadcasts are spread out across many channels, including national networks like the ESPN channels, TNT, and FS1, local channels (ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS), and conference networks.

If you don’t have cable, your best bet for watching college football online is a comprehensive live TV streaming service like DirecTV, Fubo, Sling, or Hulu + Live TV Here’s a breakdown of these options, including how much they cost, free trial information, and channel lineups.

How to Watch College Football Online: Streaming Guide for 2025 Season

editor’s Pick

DirecTV

get free trial

➤ $69.99/month
➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Up to 185+ channels

The best streaming service for watching college football in 2025 is DirecTV. The service carries every channel showing NCAA football, and offers some of the best bang-for-your-buck in its MySports package. This plan carries 20+ sports channels, including ESPN, TNT, FS1, local channels, and conference networks. Plus, you get ESPN+ for free. All of this costs $69.99 a month after a five-day free trial.

How to Watch College Football Online: Streaming Guide for 2025 Season

Fubo

Get Free Trial

➤ $55.99/month
➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Up to 300+ channels

Another one of the best cable alternatives for college football livestreams is Fubo. You can get up to 300+ channels, including almost every channel showing NCAA games this year (TNT is the only exception). Packages start at $55.99 a month — grab a five-day free trial to watch some of this weekend’s football games with Fubo’s current promo.

How to Watch College Football Online: Streaming Guide for 2025 Season

Sling

sign up now

➤ $45.99/month
➤ Short-term passes available
➤ Up to 46 channels

Sling is also a solid option for college football fans this year, offering most channels showing games. You can sign up for its top-tier Orange + Blue plan (starts at $60.99 a month) with the Sports Extra add-on (an additional $11 a month) for season-long coverage. But one of the best ways to use Sling is to take advantage of its new Flexible Passes for a day, a weekend, or a week of games. These passes start at just $4.99 for a Day Pass.

How to Watch College Football Online: Streaming Guide for 2025 Season

Hulu + Live TV

get free trial

➤ $82.99/month*
➤ Three-day free trial
➤ 95+ channels

Hulu + Live TV will also get you access to almost every channel you need to watch college football this season, offering ESPN, TNT, FS1, local channels, and conference networks in its lineup of 95+ channels. Packages start at $82.99 a month, and you can get Disney+, Hulu on-demand, and — crucially for NCAAF streams — ESPN+ included in your subscription.
*Note: Hulu + Live TV will increase its starting price to $89.99 a month on Oct. 21.

2025 College Football Schedule

The 2025 college football regular season started on Aug. 23 and runs through Jan. 4, 2026. The 2025 CFP National Championship will be on Jan. 19.

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Getting low on snacks, drinks, or meals for your college football watch party? DoorDash has you covered. The go-to delivery service is rolling out plenty of deals right now, including $0 delivery fee on your first order and its fun “DoorDash Streaks.” The Streaks program rewards you with major savings when you order consecutively.

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How to Watch College Football Games Online Without Cable

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

The 2024-25 college football season is charging onward with bowl games kicking off this weekend. Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas are among the top teams this year as we near the playoffs.

At a Glance: How to Watch College Football Online

Stream: Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream, fubo, Sling, ESPN+

TV Channels: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FS1, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, and more

Season Dates: Aug. 24, 2024 to January 20, 2025

get free trial at directv stream

If you’ve cut the cord on cable, streaming NCAA football games can feel almost as challenging as winning a title. Below is a full guide on the best ways to watch college football online without cable during the 2024-25 season.

How to Watch College Football Online Without Cable

College football broadcasts are spread out across many channels, including local stations (ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC), national channels like ESPN, ESPNU, FS1, and CBS Sports Network, and conference-specific channels like SEC Network.

If you don’t have cable, the best option for watching NCAA football is a live TV streaming service that carries as many channels as possible. You’ll also want ESPN+, which has a few games that won’t be available to watch anywhere else. Below are some of our favorites, including details on which channels they carry and pricing information. Some (Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream) also offer free trials, which you can use to watch a few games without paying.

How to Watch College Football Online: Stream NCAA Games Without Cable

DirecTV Stream

get free trial

One of the best live TV streaming services for sports (including college football) is DirecTV Stream. The service’s Choice package comes with over 125 channels, including local, national, and college sports channels. You get a five-day free trial to start, and then payment kicks in at $114.99 a month for three months — a limited-time discount from the regular $94.99 per month price.

How to Watch College Football Online: Stream NCAA Games Without Cable

Hulu + Live TV

get free trial

Hulu + Live TV is our favorite way to watch NCAA football without cable — and it delivers some of the best value in streaming. For $82.99 a month (after a three-day trial), you get more than 95 channels including local networks, national sports channels, and even some conference channels like ACCN and SEC Network. Best of all? ESPN+ is included, which streams some college football games that regular TV channels won’t have.

How to Watch College Football Online: Stream NCAA Games Without Cable

Fubo

get fubo $79.99

With access to over a dozen channels broadcasting live college football games — including local, national, and college networks — fubo is a great way to watch college football online. fubo’s most affordable subscription tier gets you most of these channels and costs $79.99 a month, but you’ll want the upgraded Elite plan ($99.99 a month) to get ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network as well.

How to Watch College Football Online: Stream NCAA Games Without Cable

Sling

get sling Blue $22.50

Another great live TV streaming service is Sling, which offers live TV streaming at a cheaper price than the above (although you get fewer channels). Sling’s Orange + Blue package (currently starting at $30 a month your first month, $60 per month afterward) is your best bet for watching college football. For even more sports channels, you can also grab Sling’s Sports Extra add-on for $15 a month.

How to Watch College Football Online: Stream NCAA Games Without Cable

ESPN+

get espn+

ESPN+ will be the exclusive broadcaster of some NCAA football games this season, so you’ll want to get this one in addition to a live TV streamer above (unless you get Hulu + Live TV, which has ESPN+ included). ESPN+ costs $11.99 a month, or $119.99 a year for an annual subscription.

How to Watch College Football Online: Stream NCAA Games Without Cable

Digital Antenna

$36.99

Buy Now On Amazon

Don’t want to pay for another streaming service every month? You can also watch some college football games using a digital antenna. These devices, available for less than $37 on Amazon, don’t require a monthly fee and get you free, unlimited access to local stations like ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox.

College Football Schedule 2024-25

The 2024 NCAA football season kicked off on Aug. 24. We’re now coming up on the bowl games and the 2024-25 College Football Playoff. This year’s championship game will be held on Jan. 20, 2025.

Where to Buy NCAA Football Merch Online

Once you’re set up with a way to watch the NCAA football championship, it’s time to get spirited with some of the best college football merch. Two of our favorite places to buy college football merch online are Nike and Fanatics.

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