The 2026 NCAA football season is about to begin, but if you plan to watch a lot of college football this season, we must warn you that you'll need a lot of channels to keep up with it all. This year, games will air across nearly 20 channels, including ABC, NBC, CBS, USA, ESPN, TNT, truTV, TBS, FOX, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, FOX, FS1, NFL Network, and BTN. Luckily, Sling has a wide variety of subscription plans for every budget, and they'll all get you access to tons of this season's games.
For a truly college football-focused plan, check out Sling Season Pass, a special five-month subscription that costs $200 and gets you every channel in their Sling Select, Sling Essentials, and Sports Extra packages; that includes ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, SEC Network and more. For a more robust option that includes additional entertainment channels and your local FOX, ABC, and NBC affiliates, Sling Orange + Blue is a great choice for cord-cutters who also want a robust sports plan. These are just two of Sling's great options for watching college ball. Take a peek at what else they offer to see what plan is right for you.
NCAA football officially begins with Week 0 on August 27, so the clock is ticking; check out all of Sling's plans now so you won't miss a moment of the 2026-27 NCAA football season.
How to watch the 2026 NCAA college football season:Dates: August 27, 2026 - January 25, 2027
TV channels: ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, FS1, ABC and more
Streaming: Sling
What channels are showing the 2026 NCAA football season?This year, you can watch NCAA football games across ABC, NBC, CBS, USA, ESPN, TNT, truTV, TBS, FOX, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, FOX, FS1, NFL Network and BTN.
The best Sling TV deals to watch the NCAA football season:Sling offers access to dozens of live TV channels, and there are several subscription tiers that offer many of the channels you need to watch the 2026 NCAA season.
The most NCAAF-focused plan is Sling Season Pass, which offers access to ESPN channels, RedZone, and NCAA conference networks like SEC, ACC, and Big Ten. The plan requires a $199.99 subscription fee paid up front, but provides 5 months of service.
Sling Orange + Blue is the priciest Sling plan, but it's also the most comprehensive if you love sports, news and entertainment. Get over 60 channels for $60.99/month, or save $23 if you pre-pay for your first three months.
Sling Select is the most economical package you want if you're looking to check out the 2026 season without breaking the bank. At just $20/month, you get FOX, FS1, NBC, ABC, and 10 other channels, so you can watch news, sports, and network shows, plus tons of additional sports and entertainment. Plus, you can use your Sling credentials to sign in to the FOX One app and watch the FOX channels included in your Sling subscription. Sling also offers a prepaid Select package: pay for your first three months of Sling Select up front for just $49.99 to save $10. After three months, the regular monthly rate will apply.
Save big with Sling Season Pass and get access to most of the NCAAF seasonSave more than $20 if you pre-pay for your first three months of Sling Blue up front:Save $23 up front by pre-paying for Sling Orange + Blue:Pre-pay for Sling Select and save $10:2026 NCAA football schedule:The 2026 NCAAF season begins on August 27 with Week Zero, with most games scheduled that week streaming on ESPN+. Notable matchups in these early weeks include the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin betweenNorth Carolina and TCU, airing on ESPN on Aug. 29, Colorado vs. Georgia Tech (Sept. 3, ESPN), Texas State vs Texas (Sept. 5, ESPN), and Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (Sept. 6, NBC).
NCAAF 2026 season Week 0 schedule:All times Eastern
Thursday, Aug. 27Mercyhurst at Youngstown State: 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Maine at Towson: 6 p.m. (FloSports)
Chattanooga at West Georgia: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Charleston Southern at Lindenwood: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Southern Illinois at West Florida: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Mississippi Valley State at Nicholls: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Gardner-Webb at Austin Peay: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Central Arkansas at UT Martin: 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Stony Brook at Delaware State: Time TBA (ESPN+)
LIU at North Dakota: Time TBA (ESPN+)
Houston Christian at Southeastern Louisiana: Time TBA (ESPN+)
Marist at New Haven: 6 p.m. (NEC Front Row)
Colgate at Fordham: 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
New Hampshire at UAlbany: 7 p.m. (FloSports)
Weber State at Northern Colorado: 9 p.m. (ESPN+)
Idaho at Cal Poly: 10 p.m. (ESPN+)
Rhode Island at Merrimack: Time TBA (ESPN+)
TCU vs. North Carolina (Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland): 12 p.m. (ESPN)
San Jose State at USC: 3 p.m. (NBC)
Alabama State vs. Southern (Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.): 3 p.m. (ESPNU)
NC State at Virginia: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Jacksonville State at North Dakota State: 5:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Hawai'i at Stanford: 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
New Mexico State at Florida State: 7 p.m. (The CW Network)
East Texas A&M at Mercer: 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Howard vs. Alabama A&M (Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta): 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Prairie View A&M at Tarleton State: 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Memphis at UNLV: 10 p.m. (FOX)
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