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Fortune
Fortune
Chris Morris

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

University of Georgia cheerleaders on the field (Credit: Michael Wade—Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)

Regardless who wins the College Football National Championship tonight, it’s likely to be one heck of an epic battle.

The University of Georgia is undefeated, winning one of the most thrilling bowl games ever on Dec. 31, with a missed field goal by Ohio State right at the stroke of midnight. TCU, meanwhile, surprised Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl, defeating the No. 2 ranked team and finishing the year at 13-1.

But if you’ve cut the cord and are hoping to tune into the game tonight, it’s going to be a bit tricky, since it airs on ESPN, not an over-the-air channel. The local sports bar is an option, but it's inevitably a crowded, distracting one. And not everyone has friends close by who are into the same team.

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?

You won't be able to watch TCU and UGA fight it out on a traditional network. The game will air 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?

There are loads of online options to watch. If you're not near a TV, you can log into ESPN.com or the ESPN app.

Prefer another alternative? Here are a few that work just as well.

Peacock

NBC’s streaming service will give you access to several games, including all Sunday night matchups. You can get a seven-day free trial, followed by a $5 or $10 monthly charge. (The free version of Peacock does not include live sports.)

Paramount+

CBS’s streaming service will give you access to games aired on that network. You can get a one-week free trial, followed by a $5 or $10 monthly charge.

Disney+

Disney's bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $13.99 per month for all three combined (or $19.99 per month for no ads on Hulu). Including Live TV in the bundle bumps the price to $70 per month ($76 with no ads).

Hulu with Live TV

The free trial on this service is no longer offered, as well. It will cost you $70 per month.

YouTubeTV

After up to a two-week trial, you can expect monthly charges of $65.

Sling TV

Dish Network's Sling recently increased its prices. The lower-tiered Orange plan will now run you $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive Blue plan bumps the cost to $55 per month (a $5 per month increase for each). 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 $70 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 $70–$100, depending on the channels you choose.

Can I watch the College National Championship Game on Amazon?

Nope. No college bowl games, especially the national championship, will be streamed via Amazon.

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