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The college football regular season returns this month, and the watch options are spread out across more than a dozen networks and streamers. We’ve combed through them all to identify what you need to know when it comes to how to watch college football, with an emphasis on nationally broadcast games.
Some of the top teams to keep an eye on heading into the 2025 season include Texas, Penn State, Clemson, Georgia, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Oregon. The Ohio State Buckeyes, the reigning College Football Playoff National Champions, are also shaping up to put on another memorable season following their 34-23 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish earlier this year.
As is the case with the NFL, there’s no one place where you can watch absolutely every game (even if you have cable, thanks to some streaming exclusive games), but we’ve identified the services that can help you out the most. Plus, we’ve highlighted a couple of streaming options that are excellent cable alternatives if you’re a cord-cutter looking for a comprehensive live TV option.
Below, we’ve put together everything you need to know about watching college football this season. You can also check out our guide to the best sports streaming services for a detailed breakdown and comparison of each app.
How to watch College Football in the US
College football is spread across several broadcasters and streaming services. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, NBC, CBS, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, ABC, FS1, FOX, the Big Ten Network, and the CW are among some of the main ways to watch the games. Of course, you can also catch some games through regional sports networks and other means if you’re local.
ESPN is your best bet for live streaming ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, ACC Network, and SEC Network games, thanks to its brand-new ESPN Unlimited streaming service, which costs $30 a month. The refreshed app offers everything there is to watch on ESPN’s linear networks and programming found on ESPN Plus, which will come in handy for streaming-exclusive games.
There’s also a cheaper ESPN Select tier, which costs $12 a month and is essentially ESPN Plus with a new name. If you’re an existing ESPN Plus subscriber, you’ll automatically be enrolled in ESPN Select. You can learn more in our ESPN streaming service guide or explore a limited-time deal when you bundle ESPN Unlimited with Disney Plus and Hulu.
If you’re only looking to watch a game that’s on NBC, you can subscribe to Peacock’s Premium Plus tier for $17. There will also be some exclusive Peacock-only games, which are available on all tiers of service. Likewise, if you’re only looking to watch a game on CBS, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus. You’ll need to opt for the Paramount Plus Premium tier for $13 a month to access CBS live streaming options. Paramount Plus offers a one-week free trial for new users.
If you don’t have cable and you’re looking for a way to see almost all nationally broadcast games, it’s probably time to check out a live TV package. Sling TV, Fubo, or DirecTV can all do the trick. When it comes to Sling, you’ll need to subscribe to the Sling Orange + Blue plan for $61 per month to access ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, and select local channels (like FOX, ABC, and NBC, but not CBS). You can also opt for some sports-centric add-ons, which add things like the SEC Network, the Big Ten Network, truTV, or ESPNU for an additional cost. The service also carries TNT, which came in handy last year during the playoffs.
DirecTV is a great way to live stream pretty much all nationally broadcast games, thanks to its handy MySports genre pack. The pack offers everything ESPN-owned (including access to the new app and the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten networks) and FS1, FOX, NBC, CBS, the CBS Sports Network, and more. You’ll just need to double-check local channel availability in your region before subscribing. Subscriptions cost $70 a month and come with a five-day free trial. Right now, new users can get $10 a month off their first two months of service.
Fubo is another great live streaming option to catch most nationally broadcast games. It carries ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FS1, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, The CW, and more. Plans start at $85 a month, and new customers can get a five-day free trial. This is an especially sports-friendly service that will also help you out with many NFL games this season.
How to watch College Football from anywhere
If you’ll be traveling away from home during any big games, you can still keep up with your subscriptions using a VPN (virtual private network). This is a handy tool that enables you to change your electronic device’s virtual location so that you can use your usual websites and apps from anywhere. Since the services we’ve highlighted require US payment methods, this option will work best for Americans traveling abroad.
NordVPN is our go-to recommendation due to its easy-to-use interface and hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our NordVPN review for additional details, and keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.