Streaming expert on the best ways to watch Ohio State vs. Texas for free

Friends, we have done it. We have survived the nuclear winter known as the offseason, and college football is officially back. Today, at 12 noon ET, the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes will take to the field to host the No. 1 Texas Longhorns, a rematch of January’s Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal. Of course, Ryan Day’s Buckeyes won that game en route to a national title. So, how are you going to watch the game?

This season, the Buckeyes will play on three different broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, and NBC), at least one cable channel (Big Ten Network), and exclusively on a streaming service (Peacock). There is also a new way for fans to stream roughly half of the team’s games as well. So, with all of the moving broadcast pieces, it can be tough to keep up with where and how to watch your favorite team.

As cord-cutting has become far more the norm than the exception across the United States, it would not be a surprise if you gave up your cable or a live-streaming service following last season, only to realize that it’s the day of the game and you have no way to watch it.

And I know it can be incredibly confusing to find the best way to watch a game in today’s entertainment landscape. Fortunately for you, I am something of a streaming expert… no really, I write about streaming services for a living. So, I am going to walk you through the best — and cheapest — ways for you to stream today’s game.

How can I watch the No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Texas college football game?

Game Date/Time: Saturday, Aug. 30 at 12 noon ET
TV: Fox
Broadcasters: Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt
Betting Line: Ohio State -1.5 | 47 o/u

Best Streaming Option for All College Football Games:
Hulu + Live TV | 3-Day Free Trial

This week is the perfect time to sign up for Hulu + Live TV. Not only can you take advantage of the three-day free trial, but with the launch of the new ESPN streaming service, you also get a free subscription to that as well, since Hulu + Live TV comes with the complete Disney Bundle. You will be able to access ESPN Select (basically the old ESPN+) in your Hulu platform, and you can switch over to the ESPN app to watch any of the content found on the ESPN Unlimited plan.

Beyond that, Hulu + Live TV has one of the few guaranteed multi-day free trials in the industry and provides nearly all of the major cable channels on the market. The basic package comes with all of the major broadcast network channels — all of which have college football — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC. It also has ESPN, ESPN2, Big Ten Network, FS1, FS2, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, and the NFL Network (yes, they have college games) without having to sign up for any sports add-on plans. However, if you do want more sports, you can add NFL RedZone, MLB StrikeZone, FanDuel TV, the Tennis Channel, and more.

What’s great about Hulu + Live TV is that, in addition to all of the broadcast and cable channels that you could possibly want, it also comes with the Disney Bundle for free. So, you also get the full on-demand Hulu library, Disney+, and the aforementioned ESPN streamer, which also has hundreds of college football games every season.

Currently, a subscription to Hulu + Live TV costs $82.99 per month after your three-day free trial. It’s not cheap, but if you are just looking for ways to watch today’s matchup, it’s a pretty unbeatable deal for a college football fan.

Other Streaming Options for the Ohio State and Texas Game:

• DIRECTV MySports: This would have been my top recommendation, because it comes with a five-day free trial, and if you go with the MySports plan, it is only $69.99 per month, following a $10 discount on each of your first two months. However, because the plan doesn’t carry Fox in every market, I couldn’t recommend it unequivocally. However, if Fox is included in DIRECTV’s MySports Pack where you live, it’s a pretty solid option.
• Fubo: $84.99 per month, with at least a one-day free trial
• YouTube TV: $82.99 per month, with at least a two-day trial
• Fox One: This is another interesting option, as Fox launched its own streaming service just before the start of the season. While it does include both Fox and the Big Ten Network, there aren’t any other channels included that cover sports. But it does come with a seven-day free trial, so if you are just looking for a cheap option to watch this game, it would do the trick. Also, its $19.99 price tag isn’t terrible either.

Join the conversation

Below is your Ohio State vs. Western Michigan 2024 game thread. Be respectful, be kind and — as always — keep it classy, BuckeyeNation. If you like GIFs, lay ‘em on us. In all, be good fans, cheer for your teams, be cool to each other (even if somebody else isn’t) and everyone wins. Let’s finish the season strong!