How to Watch College Football Without Cable

College football is spread across more channels than any other sport, so watching without cable takes two pieces: an HD antenna for games on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and The CW, and a live TV streaming service with ESPN, FS1 and the conference networks, such as YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream, Fubo or Hulu + Live TV. Add Peacock and the ESPN app for games that stream only there.

Which channels carry college football

A single Saturday can put games on a dozen different channels. This is where each one streams:

The college football TV schedule lists the channel for every game this week, and each game page shows where to stream it.

Free games with an antenna

An HD antenna picks up your local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and The CW stations with no monthly bill. Many of the biggest matchups of a Saturday air on those networks, so an antenna alone covers a good share of the top games in prime time and the afternoon windows.

Reception depends on your distance from the broadcast towers. A small indoor antenna works in most cities, while rural viewers usually need one mounted in the attic or on the roof. Check which stations reach your address before buying.

An antenna does not get you ESPN, FS1, the conference networks or streaming-only games, and in college football that is a lot of the schedule.

Conference networks matter most

Each power conference has its own channel, and that is where a large part of its schedule lives. Which one you need depends on your team:

• SEC teams: SEC Network, plus ESPN and ABC. Stream SEC Network on the ESPN app or any of the live TV services in the table.
• ACC teams: ACC Network, plus ESPN and ABC. Same streaming options as SEC Network.
• Big Ten teams: Big Ten Network, plus the broadcast networks. Stream Big Ten Network on FOX One, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Sling TV or DirecTV Stream.

Before signing up for any service, confirm it carries your team's conference network in your ZIP code. That single channel decides more of your season than anything else.

Live TV streaming services compared

These services bundle most college football channels into one app:

• YouTube TV carries every broadcast network including The CW, the ESPN networks, SEC Network, ACC Network, FS1, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network and USA Network.
• DirecTV Stream carries the same list, which makes it one of the most complete options.
• Fubo carries ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, the ESPN networks, the conference networks, FS1, Big Ten Network and CBS Sports Network. It does not list The CW, so keep an antenna for those games.
• Hulu + Live TV carries the broadcast networks including The CW, the ESPN networks, the conference networks, FS1, Big Ten Network and USA Network. Check its lineup for CBS Sports Network.
• Sling TV is the budget pick. Depending on the package and your market, it carries FOX, NBC, the ESPN networks, FS1, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network and USA Network, but not ABC, CBS or The CW. Pair it with an antenna.

Lineups vary by plan and ZIP code. Check current pricing and confirm your local channels on the service's site.

Streaming-only games: ESPN+ and Peacock

Some games never touch a TV channel:

• ESPN+ streams games you cannot find on ESPN or ABC. It comes through the ESPN app, and what you can watch depends on your ESPN plan.
• Peacock streams NBC games and also carries games that are only on Peacock.

If your team plays outside the biggest conferences, ESPN+ is often where its games end up. Check the team's schedule page for the exact channel before game day.

Following one team

Every team has a TV schedule page with the channel and kickoff time of each game. A few examples: Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, Michigan and Notre Dame.

Channels in college football often get announced only a week or two ahead, and kickoff times can stay "TBD" until then. Our game pages update on their own as soon as the channel and time are set.

The cheapest setup for how you watch

• Top broadcast games only: an HD antenna.
• One SEC or ACC team: an antenna plus the ESPN app, which covers ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ and that conference's network.
• One Big Ten team: an antenna, Peacock and FOX One, or a live TV service with Big Ten Network.
• Every big game, one bill: YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream, plus Peacock and the ESPN app for streaming-only games.

Many of the same services also cover the pros. See how to watch the NFL without cable and how to watch ESPN without cable, or browse all streaming guides.