The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) kicks off tonight, December 19th, with a rematch between No. 8 Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama. This first-round game offers a quick chance for Alabama to avenge a narrow 23-21 loss to Oklahoma just last month. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals and face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
Game Details:
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
- TV Channels: ABC and ESPN
- Location: Norman, Oklahoma
Cord-Cutting Options: Streaming Services
For viewers without cable or satellite, several live TV streaming services carry ESPN and ABC. Here’s a breakdown of the key options:
- ESPN Unlimited: Costs $30/month or $300/year. Provides access to all ESPN linear networks, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN on ABC. However, it does not cover the two first-round games broadcast on TNT and HBO Max. A cheaper $12/month ESPN Select plan exists but excludes the CFP games.
- Sling Orange: At $46/month, Sling Orange includes ESPN and TNT. Short-term options are available: a one-day pass for $5 or a three-day pass for $10.
- Fubo: Offers a $56/month plan with ESPN and ABC, but lacks TNT. To watch games on TNT, you’ll need an additional subscription to HBO Max. Fubo offers a 7-day free trial and a $10 discount on the first month.
- DirecTV MySports: Priced at $70/month, this package includes ESPN, ABC, and TNT. It provides a 5-day trial period and a $10 discount for the first month.
- YouTube TV: Costs $83/month and includes ESPN, ABC, and TNT. Offers a 10-day trial with discounted pricing ($73/month) for the first three months.
- Hulu + Live TV: Also at $83/month, this service carries ESPN, ABC, and TNT. Provides a three-day free trial for watching this weekend’s games.
Why This Matters: The New 12-Team Format
This game marks the debut of the expanded 12-team CFP format. Previously, only four teams competed for the national championship. This change aims to give more teams a shot at the title, increasing competition and fan engagement. The inclusion of automatic qualifiers from Power Five conferences and at-large bids from other conferences creates new pathways to the playoffs, reducing reliance on subjective rankings.
The game also highlights how fragmented streaming rights have become. Viewers now face multiple subscriptions to watch every CFP game, given that some are exclusive to TNT and HBO Max.
The bottom line: If you want to watch every game of the College Football Playoff, you may need multiple streaming subscriptions or a traditional cable package. Tonight’s Alabama-Oklahoma matchup is available on ABC and ESPN, but the full tournament coverage is spread across several platforms.
