Your Ultimate Guide to College Football Streaming in 2024
Whether you are picking a streamer based on price, channel lineup, extras, or anything else, we’ll help you find the best way to watch college football this season.
The 2024 college football season has nearly arrived! The season will get underway this coming weekend on Saturday, Aug. 24 with “Week 0,” for diehard fans before the campaign begins in earnest on Aug. 31. That means it’s once again time to break down which live TV streaming services are best for watching top games all season long.
A live TV service is necessary for watching college football in 2024 since games will be spread across multiple broadcast channels like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, as well as cable networks like ESPN, FS1, Big Ten Network, and SEC Network.
That means viewers have lots of choices to see live games this year, depending on their budget and what channels they want. Check out The Streamable’s expert guide on which services are best for watching top programs like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines, Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide and more this season.
How to Watch College Football
Top Pick: Sling TV
- Offers ESPN, FS1 in base plans.
- Sports Extra add-on comes with ACC Network, SEC Network, and more.
- Plans start at $40 per month.
Best Alternative: Hulu + Live TV
- Local channels included in most areas
- ESPN+ free as part of the Disney Bundle
- Three-day free trial
What Channels Are Hosting College Football Games This Year?
As usual, college football games from top conferences like the Big Ten, ACC, and SEC will be spread across multiple channels in 2024. ESPN and TNT will be handling College Football Playoff duties this year, but there are plenty of games to be played — and watched — before then. Check out the chart below to see which channels will be offering top college football games in 2024, and where you can stream them.
| DTV STREAM | DTV Internet | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Get $100 Back | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Get 50% OFF | Sign Up | |||
| $86.99 | $69.99 | $94.99 | $82.99 | $28 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| ABC | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ACC Network | + $28 | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| Big Ten Network | + $15 | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $11 | ✓ | |
| CBS | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| CBS Sports Network | + $15 | + $45 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN2 | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN3 | ✓ | - | + $20 | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| ESPNU | + $28 | + $15 | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| Fox | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FS1 | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox Sports 2 | + $15 | + $45 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | + $11 | ✓ | |
| NBC | ✓ | + $0 | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| SEC Network | + $28 | - | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | - | ✓ | |
| TNT | ✓ | + $0 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Top Pick: Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s top choice for watching college football this season and it all comes down to price. The service carries all but two of the channels listed above: CBS and the CBS Sports Network. Some areas outside of major markets don’t get local channels with Sling TV, but with an over-the-air antenna these channels become free and easy to access with no need for a monthly subscription fee. Even if you live in an area where Sling doesn’t provide ABC, you can still watch all of the games on the Disney-owned network. ESPN3 on the Sling Orange plan also simulcasts all games appearing on ABC, and it’s available everywhere.
Customers can save big with Sling TV, which starts at $40 per month for its Orange or Blue plans. The Sports Extra add-on will be needed for channels like ACC Network and SEC Network, but even this costs just $11 per month extra. Viewers who opt for Sling TV's Season Pass can get its Sling Orange and Blue plan — which combines all of the channels of Sling’s two base packages — as well as the Sports Extra pack for a prepaid price of $199 for the entire season, a savings of more than $65. Even with the one-time purchase of an antenna for watching broadcast channels, this is the cheapest way to stream college football games by far.
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Best Alternative: Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV comes with a three-day free trial, and unlike Sling TV it carries local networks ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC in nearly every market. It also carries all of the cable channels you’ll need to stream college football in its base plan. The $76.99 price of a subscription includes free access to ESPN+ as part of the Disney Bundle, which will carry hundreds of exclusive games throughout the season.
A price increase is coming to Hulu + Live TV in October, which will raise the monthly cost to $82.99 per month. That’s still cheaper than some other options, and is probably the best all-in-one option.
Other Options: DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM offers a five-day free trial, and its ENTERTAINMENT package carries a big selection of the channels you’ll need to stream college football this season. That includes local channels in most areas, though fans will have to grab the Sports add-on channel package to get options like Big Ten Network and FS2.
DIRECTV STREAM is currently offering new customers $30 off per month for their first three months on the ENTERTAINMENT package, lowering the base price to $49.99 per month. That offer will get you most of the way through the 2024 season, and viewers can also upgrade to the CHOICE package for more options and save $39 per month.
Fubo
Fubo has carefully crafted its reputation as a sports streaming service, and it will offer most of the channels you’ll need to watch top college football games this season. The service starts at $79.99 per month, but most customers will see that price bumped northwards of $90 thanks to the regional sports network fee that a huge percentage of Fubo customers end up having to pay. Fubo comes with a free trial, but its length varies on what time of month you subscribe to the service.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a solid choice for watching college football this season. It carries all the top channels you’ll need to watch the biggest games of the year, though it does not come with the same free trial for all new and returning customers. It also does not incorporate free streaming services like Hulu + Live TV, nor does its $72.99 monthly price beat Sling TV or DIRECTV STREAM’s current promotional price.