How to watch college football on Sling TV

Football fans watching intensely

For those who want to watch their favorite college football teams in action, there are plenty of options. Local networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC broadcast a majority of the bigger games. And the ones that don’t air on these networks are available on sports channels such as ESPN, FOX Sports 1, and NBCSN.

Besides these, you can also watch smaller games through college sports channels such as Big 10 Network, ESPNU, Longhorn Network, and more. And the rest are available on streaming-only channels like ESPN3, ESPN Plus, and Stadium.

Fortunately for those who want to save a bit of money, streaming services like Sling TV also offer an affordable way to watch college football live without cable. In this post, we show you how to watch college football on Sling TV.

Sling TV plans and sports channels compared

Sling TV college sports channels

If you want to watch games that feature lower-profile matchups and smaller conferences, you can find them on college sports channels. And you can get most of these channels through add-on packages with the Sling Orange + Blue plan.

You can get channels like ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPNU, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network if you add the Sports Extra plan to Sling Orange + Blue for $15/mo. And Sling’s the only live TV streaming service that offers Longhorn Network, which you also get with the Sports Extra package.

But if you add the package to either the Sling Orange or the Sling Blue plan, you only get a few of these options. For instance, adding Sports Extra to Sling Orange for $10/mo. will let you access all the ESPN-associated college sports channels. But you won’t get Big Ten Network with this option. Learn more about these plans and add-ons in our Sling packages and pricing guide.

ChannelsSling OrangeSling BlueSling Orange + Blue
ACC Network+ $10X+ $15
ACC Network Extra+ $10X+ $15
Big Ten NetworkX+ $10+ $15
CBS Sports NetworkXXX
ESPNU+ $10X+ $15
FOX College SportsXXX
Longhorn Network+ $10X+ $15
Pac-12 Network+ $10+ $10+ $15
SEC Network+ $10X+ $15

Sling TV streaming-only channels

Streaming-only networks such as ESPN3 and Stadium also broadcast a few smaller games. These networks are only available as standalone subscriptions or through a live TV streaming service. So you won’t get them with your cable subscription.

Sling gives you access to a few of these channels as well. Your Sling Orange or Sling Orange + Blue plan comes with ESPN, so you can use your credentials to log in to ESPN3. Plus, you get Stadium as a part of the default lineup for both Sling Orange and Sling Blue. Learn more about this lineup in our Sling TV channels list.

And if you add the Sports Extra package to your plan, you also get beIN Sports. This add-on costs an additional $10/mo. with the Sling Orange or Sling Blue plan and $15/mo. with Sling Orange + Blue. But you won’t have the option to add Eleven Sports or ESPN Plus. ESPN Plus comes as a standalone subscription, so you need to get it separately for $5.99/mo.

ChannelsSling OrangeSling BlueSling Orange + Blue
beIN Sports+ $10+ $10+ $15
Eleven SportsXXX
ESPN3X
Stadium

Sling TV local networks

Most of the major college football games air on local networks such as ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. Since each network provides coverage of specific conferences, you won’t get to watch all the games through just one local station. For instance, ABC and FOX traditionally broadcast Big 10, Big 12, and Pac-12 Conference games. Meanwhile, CBS will broadcast the Southeastern Conference events.

Unfortunately for those who want an affordable streaming option like Sling TV, the service lacks several local networks. You won’t get local ABC or CBS stations with the service. And it only offers limited market coverage for FOX and NBC. So you might end up missing a few major games with this service.

And note that Sling Orange doesn’t offer any local network stations. So you either need the Sling Blue plan or the Sling Orange + Blue plan. Learn more about these options and how much they cost in our full Sling TV review.

ChannelsSling OrangeSling BlueSling Orange + Blue
ABCXXX
CBSXXX
FOXX
NBCX

Can I stream every college football game on Sling TV?

The default channel lineup for Sling Blue and Sling Orange + Blue gives you local FOX and NBC stations to watch major college football games in several markets. However, it doesn’t come with ABC or CBS, which means you’ll end up missing out on some of the important games. So if you’re planning to watch every major game, Sling TV might not be the best option.

But you still get to watch other games that broadcast on leading sports channels. The Sling Orange + Blue plan comes with almost every channel you need to watch these games, including ESPN, ESPN2, FOX Sports 1, NBC Sports Network, TBS, and TNT. And you can get FOX Sports 2 with the Sports Extra add-on.

The service also gives you access to smaller games featuring lower-profile matchups through several college sports channels. However, you’ll need the Sports Extra add-on to get these channels. If you add this package to the Sling Orange + Blue plan for an extra $15/mo., you get access to ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPNU, Longhorn Network, Pac-12 Network, and SEC Network.

But you’ll still end up missing the games that broadcast on CBS Sports Network and FOX College Sports.

Sling offers additional access to other smaller college football games through streaming-only channels such as beIN Sports, ESPN3, and Stadium. While you get ESPN3 access by default with the Sling Orange and Sling Orange + Blue plan, you need the Sports Extra add-on to also get beIN Sports. Plus, you get Stadium with the default lineup for Sling Orange and Sling Blue as well as Sling Orange + Blue.

This makes Sling TV a great option for accessing streaming-only channels. But you still end up missing the games that broadcast on Eleven Sports. And you need a separate ESPN Plus subscription to watch the games that air on the service.

What about College Football Playoffs/Championships on Sling TV?

Every College Football Playoff game, including the championship, is available on ESPN. So since Sling Orange and Sling Orange + Blue come with ESPN, you can watch all the semifinals and championship games with these plans.

The final cut

While Sling TV lacks some of the local networks to watch every major college football game, it still offers an affordable alternative to cable. And oftentimes you can either try the service for free for a few days or get a discount on your first month. Learn more about these options in our Sling TV free trials and deals guide. And sign up to try Sling TV before you commit to the service.

Note that an over-the-air antenna like HDHomeRun also gives you free access to local sports broadcasts. So you can supplement your Sling subscription with this device.

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