By Jim Kimble / Updated December 8, 2023
The 2023 College Football Bowl Season is set to commence with the Myrtle Beach Bowl, scheduled for Saturday, December 16th at 11 a.m. ET.
ESPN will televise this inaugural bowl game, which is the first of four ESPN Events bowls taking place on that day.
For those looking to catch the action, all 17 ESPN Events bowl games will be accessible through televised broadcasts on either ABC or ESPN. Additionally, a notable change for this year is the simultaneous streaming coverage on ESPN+.
The lineup includes the Cricket Celebration Bowl at noon, followed by the Avocados from Mexico Cure Bowl at 3:30 p.m., both of which will be broadcast on ABC. The Isleta New Mexico Bowl will conclude the day’s festivities at 5:45 p.m., with ESPN as the broadcasting platform.
The following Saturday, December 23rd, will be the busiest day on the ESPN Events postseason schedule, featuring a total of six bowl games.
Spanish-speaking audiences will have access to Spanish-language presentations for a minimum of nine games via ESPN Deportes, with further Spanish-language telecasts for the Isleta New Mexico Bowl and Famous Toastery Bowl available on ESPN+ and ESPN3. ESPN Radio will also provide radio broadcasts for six ESPN Events bowl games.
College football enthusiasts can anticipate an eventful and comprehensive viewing experience during the 2023 College Football Bowl Season, featuring a diverse array of matchups and multiple broadcasting options to cater to various preferences.
ESPN Plus has been streaming more than 500 college football games in 2023 across Smart TVs, streaming devices and smartphones.Â
As in years past, fans of Big 12 Conference, Ohio Valley and many teams within the NCAA Division I Football Subdivision (FBS) can watch live games without cable or a subscription to a live TV streaming service.
The 2023-24 season on ESPN Plus promises to be “the most expansive lineup in the history of the platform,” according to ESPN, with games from the Southeastern Conference, Big 12 Conference, and Atlantic Coast Conference throughout the season.
Teams from Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) are also flooding into ESPN’s streaming platform this season. The FCS teams include the Big Sky, Patriot League and Ivy League.
You can sign up for an ESPN+ subscription for $10.99 per month. But remember, you can also get ESPN+ through two Disney Bundle plans, and Hulu + Live TV.
How to Watch College Football Live on ESPN Plus
Cord-cutters have a wide variety of options to watch college football games live on television, Mac computer or smartphone.
Smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast or Apple TV support streaming college football games on ESPN+ just like a live cable TV channel.
One key difference is that subscribers use the ESPN app to watch live TV that’s streaming on ESPN Plus.
Samsung Smart TVs, Sony Bravia, and any TVs running on Android TV, Google TV or Roku software support watching ESPN Plus through the ESPN app.
Game consoles including XBox and PlayStation support watching ESPN Plus. You can likewise stream college football games through the ESPN app on an iPhone or iPad (with current iOS), or any Android mobile device.
With all of the above devices, you just need to take the following steps:
- Sign up for ESPN Plus online
- Download the ESPN app from the app hub of your TV or streaming device
- Launch the ESPN app on your TV, and sign in with your ESPN Plus account
There are plenty of ways to watch ESPN Plus on any TV if you have an LG Smart TV, Vizio or another popular brand that is unsupported.
Fans using a PC, Chromebook and Mac computer to watch games can simply watch ESPN Plus through a current web browser.
ESPN Plus College Football Schedule
The ESPN Plus college football schedule includes the NCAA Division I Football Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division 1-A. FCS schools from the Big Sky, MVFC, Patriot League, Ivy League, Southern, Southland, MEAC, SWAC, ASUN/WAC, the Big South-OVC Football Association and Pioneer are on ESPN+ as well.
2023 ESPN Events College Football Bowl Schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Network |
| Sat, Dec. 16 | 11 a.m. | Myrtle Beach Bowl Brooks Stadium (Conway, S.C.)Georgia Southern vs. Ohio | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Radio |
| Noon | Cricket Celebration Bowl Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)Howard vs. Florida A&M | ABC/ESPN+ | |
| 3:30 p.m. | Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl FBC Mortgage Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State | ABC/ESPN+ | |
| 5:45 p.m. | Isleta New Mexico Bowl University Stadium (Albuquerque, N.M.)New Mexico State vs. Fresno State | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN3* | |
| Mon, Dec. 18 | 2:30 p.m. | Famous Toastery Bowl Jerry Richardson Stadium (Charlotte)Western Kentucky vs. Old Dominion | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN3* |
| Tue, Dec. 19 | 9 p.m. | Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)UTSA vs Marshall | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes |
| Thu, Dec. 21 | 8 p.m. | RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Fla.)South Florida vs. Syracuse | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Radio/ESPN Deportes |
| Fri, Dec. 22 | 6:30 p.m. | Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Fla.)Georgia Tech vs. UCF | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes |
| Sat, Dec. 23 | Noon | 76® Birmingham Bowl Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Ala.)Troy vs. Duke | ABC/ESPN+ |
| Noon | Camellia Bowl Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.)Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Radio/ESPN Deportes | |
| 3:30 p.m. | Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)James Madison vs. Air Force | ABC/ESPN+ | |
| 3:30 p.m. | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)Georgia State vs Utah State | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Radio/ESPN Deportes | |
| 7:30 p.m. | SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, Nev.)Utah vs. Northwestern | ABC/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes | |
| 10:30 p.m. | EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex(Honolulu, Hawaii)Coastal Carolina vs San Jose State | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Radio/ESPN Deportes | |
| Tue, Dec. 26 | 5:30 p.m. | SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas, Texas)Texas State vs. Rice | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Deportes |
| Wed, Dec. 27 | 9 p.m. | TaxAct Texas Bowl NRG Stadium (Houston, Texas)Texas A&M vs Oklahoma State | ESPN/ESPN+/ESPN Radio/ESPN Deportes |
| Thu, Dec. 28 | 11 a.m. | Wasabi Fenway Bowl Fenway Park (Boston, Mass.)SMU vs. Boston College | ESPN/ESPN+ |
Why can’t I watch college football on ESPN Plus?
Not every college football game or conference is available on ESPN Plus.
The Big Ten Conference has negotiated multi-year deals with broadcast networks such as NBC, FOX and CBS. Some games may be on local ABC stations as well.
Most games from Power 5 conferences such as the Atlantic Coast Conference or Big Ten Conference require a subscription to a live TV streaming service, or a cable or satellite service.
The good news for cord-cutters is that you can watch local broadcast networks for free by using a TV antenna.
You can read my guides on how to watch ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ACC Network (ACCN), Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, FS1, and SEC Network, which covers most college football games during the season.
DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV have the most comprehensive channel lineups for NCAA football and college basketball coverage.Â
Sling TV is the best budget option at $40 per month, but remains thin on local channels and doesn’t carry CBS anywhere.
Pac-12 Network and Longhorn Network are available on only a few live TV streaming services.
Some of these streaming services such as DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo and YouTube TV have a free trial that lasts a week without any obligation.
Hulu + Live TV is the only live TV streaming service that bundles ESPN+, Disney+ and carries local and cable channels that have NCAA football games from major conferences.
Just remember to cancel before the trial ends if you decide that the streaming service isn’t for you.
How to Watch College Football games on ESPN Plus FAQs
These are questions that NCAA football fans ask when searching for ways to watch their favorite teams on ESPN Plus.
Does ESPN Plus Have College Football?
While it doesn’t carry the ESPN suite of cable TV channels, such as Big Ten Network or the Pac-12 Network, ESPN+ does cover college football games you won’t find elsewhere.
In 2023, ESPN Plus will stream more than 500 games from the NCAA Division I Football Subdivision (FBS) and Football Champion Subdivision (FCS).
There are 133 schools and 10 conferences in FBS. The FCS has 128 teams.
ESPN Plus streams live NCAA football games from FBS conferences including the SEC, Big 12, American, ACC, CUSA, MAC and Sun Belt.
The FCS schools on ESPN+ include the Big Sky, MVFC, Patriot League, Ivy League, Southern, Southland, MEAC, SWAC, ASUN/WAC, the Big South-OVC Football Association and Pioneer.
Is Big 12 Football on ESPN Plus?
Big 12 football games will be on ESPN Plus during the 2023-24 season. More than 20 Big 12 Now games have been confirmed for the season.
Big 12 games are scheduled to air on ESPN+, ESPN, FS1, FOX and CBS.
This year the Big 12 Conference will have 14 teams, including newcomers such as BYU, Houston and Cincinnati. The Big 12 Football Championship game airs on ABC.
Does ESPN Plus have Ohio State Buckeyes Football?
ESPN Plus does not stream Ohio State Football. You can watch the Buckeyes on Big Ten Network, ABC, and FOX.
Can I watch SEC football on ESPN Plus?
You can watch select, non-conference SEC football games on ESPN Plus throughout the 2023 season. There will be 14 SEC games total on ESPN+ with one game from each school.
You can look at the upcoming SEC game schedule for ESPN Plus.
Do I get NDSU Bison Football on ESPN Plus?
You can watch North Dakota State University (NDSU) Bison football games with an ESPN Plus subscription. You can sign up for ESPN+, and pay only $10.99 per month. You can look over the NDSU football schedule on ESPN Plus for more information.Â
Can I watch BYU football on ESPN Plus?
Brigham Young University, home to the BYU Cougars, is part of the Big 12 Conference this year. You can watch live games on ESPN+, ESPN, FS1, FOX and CBS.
Can you watch Drake University football on ESPN Plus?
You can watch the Drake University Bulldogs on ESPN Plus during the 2023 season. A subscription costs $9.99 per month.
Can I watch Clemson football on ESPN Plus?
You might be able to watch an occasional Clemson Tigers game on ESPN+ because some ACC games are expected to be on the streaming platform this year. But most games air on ACC Network, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.
Is Florida State football on ESPN Plus?
Florida State Seminoles football may have some games on ESPN Plus this year. But since the Seminoles are part of the ACC Conference, you will find most games on ABC, ACC Network, ESPN and ESPN2.
Can you watch Georgia Football on ESPN Plus?
You can watch some Georgia Football games on ESPN Plus. The Bulldogs will be on the service during some non-conference games during the 2023 season.
Can I watch Montana Grizzly Football on ESPN Plus?
You can watch most Montana Grizzlies football games on ESPN+. The team is part of the Big Sky Conference. The team has one game scheduled to air on ESPN2 on Oct. 14 against the Idaho Vandals.
Can I watch ISU football on ESPN Plus?
Yes. You can watch the Iowa State University (ISU) Cyclones on ESPN Plus. So far, games are scheduled to air on ESPN Plus and FOX.
Is Michigan Football on ESPN Plus?
Michigan Wolverines Football is not on ESPN Plus this season. You can find games on CBS, Big Ten Network and FOX.
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