Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Fortune
Fortune
Chris Morris

How to watch the College Bowl National Championship for free—without cable

A Michigan player versus a Washington player during a game in 2021 in Ann Arbor (Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The College Football National Championship game looks a little different this year. For the first time since 2014, no SEC team is among the final two.

Both the top-ranked Michigan Wolverines and No. 2 ranked Washington Huskies are undefeated—and both are making their first appearance in a CFP championship game. Whoever wins will be just the sixth team to finish a college football season with a 15-0 record (or better).

Michigan certainly comes with some baggage. Head coach Jim Harbaugh was suspended for six of the regular season’s 12 games—and is the subject of two ongoing NCAA investigations, one for alleged recruiting violations and one for alleged sign-stealing. The school last won a national title in 1997.

Washington has been an underdog all year but has constantly topped expectations. The school hasn’t held a title since 1991.

Watching the game could be a bit tricky if you’ve cut the cord, since it airs on ESPN. Fortunately, there are options. Here's a look at some alternate ways to watch the College National Championship.

What time does the College Football National Championship air?

The game airs at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Can I stream the College National Championship game live online if I don't have a cable subscription?

Yep. And you’ve got lots of options. If you're not near a TV, you can log into ESPN.com or the ESPN app.

If that doesn’t work for you, here are a few methods that will let you watch the game.

Disney+

Disney's bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $15 per month for all three combined (or $25 per month for no ads on Hulu).

Including Live TV in the bundle bumps the price to $77 per month ($90 with no ads).

Hulu with Live TV

The free trial on this service is no longer offered, as well. It will now cost you $77 per month.

YouTubeTV

After up to a two-week trial, you can expect monthly charges of $73.

Sling TV

Dish Network's Sling lower-tiered Orange plan will run you $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive Blue plan bumps the cost to $55 per month. The seven-day free trial has disappeared, but the cord-cutting service is offering 50% off the first month’s bill.

DirecTV Stream

Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow, and AT&T TV, this oft-renamed streaming service will run you $75 per month and up after the free-trial option.

Fubo TV

This sports-focused cord-cutting service carries broadcast networks in most markets. There's a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges of $75 and up, depending on the channels you choose.

Can I watch the College National Championship game on Amazon?

You cannot. No college bowl games, especially the national championship, are streamed via Amazon.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.