• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
LifestyleFootball

How to Watch Washington vs. Michigan in the College Football National Championship Game online for free—without cable

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 8, 2024, 5:00 PM ET
A Michigan player versus a Washington player during a game in 2021 in Ann Arbor
The Michigan Wolverines versus the Washington Huskies, as seen in September 2021.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.

Recommended Video

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.

Join us at the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit May 19–20, 2026, in Atlanta. The next era of workplace innovation is here—and the old playbook is being rewritten. At this exclusive, high-energy event, the world’s most innovative leaders will convene to explore how AI, humanity, and strategy converge to redefine, again, the future of work. Register now.
About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Retail
Trump just declared Christmas Eve a national holiday. Here’s what’s open and closed
By Dave SmithDecember 24, 2025
20 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Trump turns government into giant debt collector with threat to garnish wages on millions of Americans in default on student loans
By Annie Ma and The Associated PressDecember 24, 2025
20 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Financial experts warn future winner of the $1.7 billion Powerball: Don't make these common money mistakes
By Ashley LutzDecember 23, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Obama's former top economic advisor says he feels 'a tiny bit bad' for Trump because gas prices are low, but consumer confidence is still plummeting 
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 24, 2025
13 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Law
Disgraced millennial Frank founder Charlie Javice hits JPMorgan with $74 million legal bill, including $530 in gummy bears and $347 'afternoon snack'
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 23, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
'When we got out of college, we had a job waiting for us': 80-year-old boomer says her generation left behind a different economy for her grandkids
By Mike Schneider and The Associated PressDecember 23, 2025
2 days ago

Latest in Lifestyle

charity
Arts & Entertainmentphilanthropy
Most Americans decide 2025 isn’t the year for charity, poll says
By James Pollard, Linley Sanders and The Associated PressDecember 24, 2025
9 hours ago
Dianna Tompkins sits on a stair in front of her home in Demotte, Ind., Dec. 17, 2025.
Arts & Entertainmentgovernment shutdown
When SNAP payments stopped, a fast-moving nonprofit program rushed in with $12 million—and kept families fed
By James Pollard and The Associated PressDecember 24, 2025
14 hours ago
jews/chinese food
Arts & EntertainmentRestaurants
American Jews, Chinese food and Christmas: The first connection was a 1935 gift of chow mein to a New Jersey orphanage
By Samira Mehta and The ConversationDecember 24, 2025
17 hours ago
C-SuiteLeadership Next
Expedia Group CEO thinks 2026 will be ‘very big’ for tourists in the U.S.—as long as the country makes it ‘welcoming’
By Fortune EditorsDecember 24, 2025
17 hours ago
The Holiday Cottage
SuccessEntrepreneurship
This millennial home designer spent 9 months building a replica of ‘The Holiday’ cottage—now it’s renting fast at $499 a night
By Emma BurleighDecember 24, 2025
17 hours ago
Trump speaks in front of a podium, with Marco Rubio behind him
RetailHolidays
Trump just declared Christmas Eve a national holiday. Here’s what’s open and closed
By Dave SmithDecember 24, 2025
20 hours ago