How to watch college football without cable in 2026
College football is back for the 2026 season, and you don't need a cable box to follow it. Between the ESPN family, FOX, CBS, NBC, The CW, and the conference-owned networks, the sport is spread across more channels than any other — so the trick to cord-cutting is landing on a service that carries the most of them in one place. This guide breaks down which networks air college football in 2026, what Fubo carries, and the key dates leading to the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Subscribe to Fubo to stream college football all season long: Start with a free trial!
Why Fubo is the best choice for college football fans
Fubo carries the core of the college football TV map — ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FS1, CBS, NBC, The CW, and the conference networks (Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and ACC Network) — plus local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliates in most markets. With one Fubo subscription you get:
- ESPN & ESPN2 – top SEC, ACC, and Big 12 games
- FOX & FS1 – Big Ten and Big 12 matchups
- Big Ten Network – Big Ten games
- CBS, NBC & The CW – additional Big Ten, ACC, Pac-12, and Mountain West games
- SEC Network, ACC Network & ESPNU – conference-specific games, included with Fubo
- Unlimited Cloud DVR – record games and watch on your schedule
- Multiview – watch multiple games at once on a rivalry Saturday
- Apps on phones, tablets, smart TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and consoles
👉 Tip: Fubo carries SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPNU alongside ESPN, FOX/FS1, and the broadcast networks — so you get the fullest Saturday slate in one place, all included with Fubo.
Watch college football on Fubo: Start with a free trial!
What Fubo carries this college football season
College football is spread across broadcast TV, the ESPN family, and the conference-owned channels — and Fubo brings them together in one place:
| Network | What's on it | On Fubo? |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN / ESPN2 | Top SEC, ACC, and Big 12 games | ✅ |
| ABC | Marquee national games | ✅ (local availability varies) |
| SEC Network | SEC games | ✅ |
| ACC Network | ACC games | ✅ |
| ESPNU | Additional SEC, ACC, and Big 12 games | ✅ |
| FOX / FS1 | Big Ten and Big 12 games | ✅ (FOX local availability varies) |
| Big Ten Network (BTN) | Big Ten games | ✅ |
| CBS / CBS Sports Network | Big Ten games and other matchups | ✅ (CBS local availability varies) |
| NBC | Big Ten Saturday Night package | ✅ (local availability varies) |
| The CW | ACC, Pac-12, and Mountain West games | ✅ |
| ESPN Unlimited | Exclusive games | ✅ Access included free! (local availability varies) |
Availability of local broadcast channels depends on your location and broadcast rights.
Key dates to know for the 2026 season
- Week 0: Saturday, August 29, 2026
- Opening weekend (Week 1): Thursday, September 3 – Monday, September 7, 2026, with most openers on Saturday, September 5 (Labor Day weekend)
- Conference championship games: early December 2026 (the American Conference Championship is set for Saturday, December 5)
- College Football Playoff first round (on-campus): Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19, 2026
- Playoff quarterfinals & semifinals: hosted by the six New Year's bowls — the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Peach, Cotton, and Orange Bowls
- National Championship: Monday, January 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas
What's new for 2026
College football brings a handful of rule changes this season:
- Progressive targeting penalties — a one-year trial escalates suspensions for repeat targeting offenders.
- Lighter offensive pass interference — OPI now costs 10 yards instead of 15.
- New punt-formation rules — numbering-exception units must line up in a balanced 2-by-2 to cut down on deception.
- Tighter taunting enforcement — officials are focused on demeaning celebrations that interfere with game administration.
The 12-team College Football Playoff
The College Football Playoff is one of the sport's newest shakeups — expanded from four teams to 12 in 2024 — and it stays at 12 for the 2026-27 season. Conference champions earn automatic bids and the top seeds get a first-round bye. The four first-round games are played on campus (December 18–19, 2026), then the quarterfinals and semifinals rotate through the six New Year's bowls before the national championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on January 25, 2027. Fubo carries ABC and the ESPN networks that air College Football Playoff games, so you can follow the bracket on Fubo.
Tips for streaming college football like a pro
- Start with Fubo for base coverage — ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, Big Ten Network, The CW and local ABC/FOX/CBS/NBC cover most of the marquee Saturday slate.
- SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPNU — conference-specific games, all included with Fubo.
- Use Unlimited Cloud DVR and Multiview — record games and watch two or more at once on a busy rivalry Saturday.
- Check your local channels — broadcast affiliates on Fubo depend on your streaming location, so confirm your market before kickoff.
This week's college football on Fubo
This week in the College Football on Fubo
Upcoming games on Fubo:
| Date | Matchup | Time | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Oct 1 | Western Kentucky at New Mexico State | 8:00 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Thu Oct 1 | North Texas at Tulsa | 9:00 PM ET | ESPN |
| Fri Oct 2 | Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN |
| Fri Oct 2 | Liberty at Delaware | 7:00 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Fri Oct 2 | Penn State at Northwestern | 8:00 PM ET | FOX |
| Fri Oct 2 | Montana State at Idaho | 10:30 PM ET | ESPN |
| Sat Oct 3 | Alabama at Mississippi State | 12:00 PM ET | ABC |
| Sat Oct 3 | Navy at Air Force | 12:00 PM ET | CBS |
| Sat Oct 3 | Michigan at Minnesota | 12:00 PM ET | FOX |
| Sat Oct 3 | Notre Dame at North Carolina | 12:00 PM ET | ESPN |
| Sat Oct 3 | UCF at Houston | 12:00 PM ET | ESPN2 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Stanford at Wake Forest | 12:00 PM ET | ACC Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Middle Tennessee at Kansas | 12:00 PM ET | ESPNU |
| Sat Oct 3 | Princeton at Columbia | 12:00 PM ET | SportsNet NY |
| Sat Oct 3 | Syracuse at UConn | 12:00 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Boston College at SMU | 12:00 PM ET | CW |
| Sat Oct 3 | Michigan at Minnesota | 12:00 PM ET | FOX Deportes |
| Sat Oct 3 | Wagner at Central Connecticut State | 12:00 PM ET | Ryz Sports Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Columbia vs Princeton | 12:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Lehigh vs Fordham | 12:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Merrimack vs. Yale | 12:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | LIU vs Mercyhurst | 12:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Michigan State at Wisconsin | 12:30 PM ET | Big Ten Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Lafayette vs Richmond | 12:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Georgetown vs Cornell College | 12:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Vanderbilt at Georgia | 12:45 PM ET | SEC Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Drake vs Dayton | 1:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | SEC Halftime Band Performances at Mississippi State | 1:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Morehead State vs Valparaiso | 1:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Buffalo vs Western Michigan | 1:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Presbyterian vs University of St. Thomas | 1:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Villanova vs Morgan State | 1:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Virginia Military Institute vs Mercer | 1:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Dartmouth vs Pennsylvania | 1:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | SEC Halftime Band Performances at Georgia | 1:45 PM ET | SEC Plus |
| Sat Oct 3 | Robert Morris vs Norfolk State | 2:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Ball State vs Toledo | 2:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Edward Waters vs Kentucky State | 2:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Furman vs Wofford | 2:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | North Dakota vs Murray State | 2:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Howard at Hampton | 3:00 PM ET | CBS |
| Sat Oct 3 | South Dakota vs Indiana State | 3:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Lane vs. Miles College (AL) | 3:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Florida at Missouri | 3:30 PM ET | ABC |
| Sat Oct 3 | Ohio State at Iowa | 3:30 PM ET | CBS |
| Sat Oct 3 | Auburn at Tennessee | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN |
| Sat Oct 3 | Virginia at Florida State | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN2 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Louisville at NC State | 3:30 PM ET | ACC Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | California at UNLV | 3:30 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Wyoming at North Dakota State | 3:30 PM ET | CW |
| Sat Oct 3 | Charlotte vs Memphis | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Central Michigan vs Akron | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Georgia State vs Old Dominion | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Alabama-Birmingham vs Samford | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Kent State vs Ohio | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Massachusetts vs Eastern Michigan | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | William & Mary vs Holy Cross | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | East Tennessee State vs UT-Chattanooga | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Miami (OH) vs Bowling Green | 3:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Marshall at James Madison | 3:45 PM ET | ESPNU |
| Sat Oct 3 | Maryland at Nebraska | 4:00 PM ET | FS1 |
| Sat Oct 3 | The Citadel at South Carolina State | 4:00 PM ET | Ryz Sports Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Montana vs Northern Colorado | 4:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Western Illinois vs Tennessee State | 4:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | San Diego vs Davidson | 4:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Kentucky at South Carolina | 4:15 PM ET | SEC Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Purdue at Illinois | 4:15 PM ET | Big Ten Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | SEC Halftime Band Performances at Tennessee | 4:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | SEC Halftime Band Performances at Missouri | 4:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Austin Peay State vs New Haven | 5:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Southern Illinois vs Youngstown State | 5:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | SEC Halftime Band Performances at South Carolina | 5:15 PM ET | SEC Plus |
| Sat Oct 3 | Florida Atlantic vs Texas Southern | 6:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Western Carolina vs Tennessee Tech | 6:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Stephen F. Austin State vs Incarnate Word | 6:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Charleston Southern vs Gardner-Webb | 6:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Eastern Kentucky vs North Alabama | 6:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | BYU at TCU | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN |
| Sat Oct 3 | Arkansas at Texas A&M | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN2 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Coastal Carolina vs Georgia Southern | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Houston Christian vs Nicholls State | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | South Alabama vs Louisiana-Monroe | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Morehouse vs Tuskegee | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Chicago State vs. Tarleton State | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Rice vs Texas-San Antonio | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Illinois State vs South Dakota State | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | East Texas A&M vs Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Lamar vs Northwestern State | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Harvard vs Colgate | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Miami at Clemson | 7:30 PM ET | ABC |
| Sat Oct 3 | Texas Tech at Colorado | 7:30 PM ET | FOX |
| Sat Oct 3 | Washington at USC | 7:30 PM ET | NBC |
| Sat Oct 3 | Temple at South Florida | 7:30 PM ET | ESPNU |
| Sat Oct 3 | Utah State at Boise State | 7:30 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Louisiana Tech vs Army | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | McNeese State at LSU | 7:45 PM ET | SEC Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Indiana at Rutgers | 8:00 PM ET | Big Ten Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Campbell at North Carolina Central | 8:00 PM ET | Ryz Sports Network |
| Sat Oct 3 | Louisiana vs Arkansas State | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Idaho State vs Northern Arizona | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo vs Weber State | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Abilene Christian vs West Florida | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | SEC Halftime Band Performances at Texas A&M | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Utah Tech vs Southern Utah | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Sat Oct 3 | SEC Halftime Band Performances at LSU | 8:45 PM ET | SEC Plus |
| Sat Oct 3 | Baylor at Arizona State | 10:30 PM ET | ESPN |
| Sat Oct 3 | Eastern Washington at UC Davis | 10:30 PM ET | ESPN2 |
| Sat Oct 3 | Texas State at San Diego State | 10:30 PM ET | CW |
| Sat Oct 3 | Cincinnati at Arizona | 11:00 PM ET | FOX |
| Tue Oct 6 | Southern Mississippi at Troy | 8:00 PM ET | ESPN2 |
| Wed Oct 7 | Jacksonville State at Kennesaw State | 7:00 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Wed Oct 7 | New Mexico State at Florida International | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN2 |
| Thu Oct 8 | Sam Houston State at Liberty | 7:00 PM ET | ESPNU |
| Thu Oct 8 | Missouri State at Western Kentucky | 7:00 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Thu Oct 8 | College Football | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN |
| Thu Oct 8 | South Alabama at Arkansas State | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN2 |
| Fri Oct 9 | Florida State at Louisville | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN |
| Fri Oct 9 | Columbia vs. Marist | 7:00 PM ET | ESPN+000 |
| Fri Oct 9 | Iowa at Washington | 9:00 PM ET | FS1 |
| Fri Oct 9 | Wyoming at San Jose State | 9:00 PM ET | CBS Sports Network |
| Fri Oct 9 | Washington State at Utah State | 9:00 PM ET | CW |
| Fri Oct 9 | Iowa State at BYU | 10:15 PM ET | ESPN |
What to watch:
Ohio State carries a 12-1 record into Iowa, its first ranked opponent since a loss at Texas earlier this season. The Buckeyes have been generating Heisman conversation around their receiving corps and will face a Hawkeyes program that has consistently made life difficult for ranked visitors. Meanwhile, unbeaten Indiana at 13-0 looms over the entire playoff picture — the Hoosiers sit atop the College Football Playoff Poll, and every result around them this week tightens or loosens the bracket accordingly.
The bottom line
Here's the best way to stream the most college football in 2026:
- Start with Fubo for base coverage — ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, The CW and local ABC/FOX/CBS/NBC.
- Add SEC Network, ACC Network and ESPNU for conference games — all included with Fubo.
- Use Unlimited Cloud DVR and Multiview across every device to never miss a snap.
Start with Fubo today: Sign up here!