NCAA football 2024: How to watch every college football game this season

It's not just the NFL that's finally returning to our screens, NCAA football is finally back this weekend! The 2024-25 college football season opens with Florida State vs. Georgia Tech, played in Dublin Ireland and airing on ESPN at 12 p.m. ET this Saturday. But that's not the only game on the Week 0 schedule worth tuning into. Montana State plays New Mexico at 1 p.m. on FS1, SMU faces Nevada on the field at 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network and more games are airing across ABC, ESPNU, and even Spectrum Sports PPV. Are you ready for college football's comeback? In case you need a refresher on how to watch NCAA football games, we've got you covered.

Looking for how to watch the 2024 NFL season? We've got a guide for that too.

How to watch the 2024 NCAA football season:

Dates: Aug. 24, 2024 - Jan. 8, 2025

TV channels: ESPN, ABC, Fox, FS1, NBC, CBS, CBSSN

Streaming: ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock, Fubo, DirecTV Stream

2024 NCAA season opening weekend schedule:

All times Eastern

Week 0 of the NCAA season will open with a game between Florida State and Georgia tech played in Dublin, Ireland.

Saturday, Aug. 24

• Florida State vs. Georgia Tech (in Dublin, Ireland) | 12 p.m. | ESPN

• McNeese at Tarleton State | 3:30 p.m. | ESPNU

• Montana State at New Mexico | 4 p.m. | FS1

• North Alabama vs. Southeast Missouri State (in Montgomery, Alabama) | 7 p.m. | ESPN

• Florida A&M vs. Norfolk State (in Atlanta, Georgia) | 7:30 p.m. | ABC

• SMU at Nevada | 8 p.m. | CBSSN

• Delaware State at Hawai'i | 11:59 p.m. | Spectrum Sports PPV

How to watch NCAAF games in 2024:

NCAA football games air across a wide range of channels, from common cable networks including the full ESPN suite (that's ESPN2 and ESPNU too), Fox and FS1, ABC, NBC and CBS, to CBSSN, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, ACC Network and more.

Overwhelmed? You're not alone. Here's a breakdown of the platforms we recommend checking out ahead of the 2024 NCAA football season, so that come game time, tuning into your favorite team's games will be as easy as simply turning on the TV....

(DirecTV)

DirecTV Choice

Best free trial for football

DirecTV Stream's Choice tier (currently $105.98/month with fees) gets you access to all the usual football suspects: NFL Network, ESPN, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox. Plus the Choice tier will get you ESPNU, CBSSN, FS1, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network and plenty of local RSNs. The best part is, currently you can try all this out for free. So if you're interested in trying out a live TV streaming service for football season, but aren't ready to commit, we recommend starting with DirecTV Stream. 

You'll also get unlimited Cloud DVR storage included in whatever DirecTV package you choose. 

Pros

• Full package free trial available
• Many local RSNs included
• Unlimited Cloud DVR

Cons

• Cost

Try free at DirecTV

(Fubo)

Fubo TV

Best overall sports streamer

Fubo TV gives you access to ESPN, Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC and 100+ more live channels. Starting at $80/month, the live TV streaming service is definitely pricey (but certainly not the most expensive option on this list), but offers nearly every channel you'll need to watch both the NCAA football season and the 2024 NFL season. Fubo subscribers also get 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage. The platform also offers a free trial period. 

Pros

• Full package free trial available
• 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage

Cons

• Cost

Try free at Fubo

Every way to watch NCAAF games this season: