College football is officially back, which means you’ve got plans for about the next 20 weeks. Whether it’s a Top-10 blockbuster or an underrated FCS showdown, there will be a reason to tune in each and every Saturday.
In 2024, games will be televised across the following networks: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, CW, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, NBC, truTV or SEC Network. Other games will stream exclusively on ESPN+, Peacock, Max, FloFootball or Facebook Live. As such, the live stream options can be numerous and sometimes confusing, but we have a full rundown on all the best ways to watch college football games online this season.
Can you watch a live stream of college football games for free?
You won’t be able to watch for free for the entire college football season. However, if there’s a single game or a week’s worth of games that you’re trying to watch at no cost, you can sign up for a live-TV streaming service that comes with your intended channel and a free trial. There are three options in that category:
Fubo: The “Pro” channel package includes ABC (live in most markets), Big Ten Network (and alts), CBS (live in most markets), CBS Sports Network, CW (select markets), ESPN, ESPN2, Fox (live in most markets), Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2 and NBC (live in most markets). The “Sports Lite” add-on will get you ACC Network, ESPNU and SEC Network. It’s a total of $90 per month, but the Fubo free trial is seven days.
YouTube TV: The “Base Plan” includes ABC (live in most markets), ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS (live in most markets), CBS Sports Network, CW (select markets), ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox (live in most markets), Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, NBC (live in most markets), truTV and SEC Network. The regular price is $73 per month, but there’s a free five-day trial, and then it’s just $53 per month for your first four months.
DirecTV Stream: The “Entertainment” channel bundle includes ABC (live in most markets), CBS (live in most markets), CW (select markets), ESPN, ESPN2, Fox (live in most markets), Fox Sports 1 and NBC (live in most markets). You’ll need to go up to the “Choice” for ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPNU, truTV and SEC Network, and up to “Ultimate” for CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 2. “Entertainment” is $50 per month, “Choice” is $70 per month and “Ultimate” is $90 per month, but you can include any of them in your five-day free trial.
Watch college football games on ESPN+
Most games that aren’t televised will stream exclusively on ESPN+. This includes most FBS games, as well as many SEC, ACC and Big 12 games. It’s dozens of games every weekend, and several hundred-plus for the entire season. ESPN+ is absolutely a must-have for college football fans, and while there’s no free trial, it costs just $11 per month or $110 for the entire year.
That price is easily worth it just for the all the college football, but it also includes dozens of other live sports, original shows, 30-for-30 documentaries, written content and more.
Watch college football games on Peacock
If you’re a Notre Dame fan or a fan of a team in the Big Ten, you’ll likely want to familiarize yourself with Peacock. Most of Notre Dame’s games will stream on Peacock, while the Big Ten will typically have two or three games on Peacock every week. Some of these games will be simulcast on NBC, while others will be exclusively on the streaming service.
There’s no free trial for Peacock, but all you need to watch these games is the “Premium” tier, which costs $8 per month or $80 for the year.
How to watch college football games from abroad
If you’re outside the United States, you can use a virtual private network (VPN) to hide your IP address/location and connect to a digital server in the US. This allows you to bypass any location restrictions and access US-only streaming services (which all of the aforementioned options are) as if you were physically in the country.
NordVPN is our recommendation thanks to its safety, speed and ease of use. However, we’ve also put together lists of the best VPN services and the best VPN deals if you want to take a look at those for some other options.
