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College football has officially returned for the 2024 season, with kickoff taking place Thursday (Aug. 29). Current students, alumni and sports fans alike can look forward to rooting for their favorite teams in the Big Ten conference, whether you’re heading to a game or planning to tune in to live TV coverage. Even if you’re a cord-cutter, there are still streaming options available to keep you plugged in and connected to all the action that happens on the football field.
Our suggestion: Check out Sling TV, which lets you livestream the games online and has affordable plan options to choose from.
The Big Ten is split into two divisions — East and West — and there are 18 teams in the conference this year: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington and Wisconsin. Some teams will also face inter-conference opponents throughout the season.
The Big Ten 2024 kickoff will take place Thursday (Aug. 29) at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET with Howard vs. Rutgers on B10 Network.
Keep reading to learn how to watch Big Ten college football games without cable.
How to Watch Big Ten College Football Without Cable
The 2024 Big Ten football season will be aired across a variety of cable channels including FOX, FS1, BTN, CBS, ABC and NBC. Viewers with cable can tune in for free — just check your network provider’s channel guide to see where the games are being broadcast. If you don’t have cable, you’ll need to rely on live TV streaming options to livestream Big Ten college football games.
Sling TV is currently offering a promo where you can get the Orange & Blue package in addition to the Sports Extra for just $199 when you prepay for four months of service. The promo is eligible for new and returning subscribers, and includes 70 channels including ABC, Fox, NBC and FS1 through the Orange & Blue plan as well as BTN, ACCN, SEC, PAC 12 and ESPNU with Sports Extra.
The streamer also offers DVR access that will let you record Big Ten games to watch on demand later as well as the ability to stream on up to four devices at once.
B10 Schedule for Week 1
Below, you can find the schedule for upcoming games and channels, or check out the full Big Ten college football schedule here.
Thursday (Aug. 29):
- Howard vs. Rutgers at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET on BTN
- North Carolina vs. Minnesota at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on Fox
- Eastern Illinois vs. Illinois at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on BTN
Friday (Aug. 30):
- FAU vs. Michigan State at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET on BTN
- Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on FS1
Saturday (Aug. 31):
- Penn State vs. West Virginia at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET on Fox
- Indiana State vs. Purdue at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET on BTN
- Illinois State vs. Iowa at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET on BTN
- Connecticut vs. Maryland at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET on FS1
- FIU vs. Indiana at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on BTN
- Akron vs. Ohio State at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
- Miami (of Ohio) vs Northwestern at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on BTN
- UTEP vs. Nebraska at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on Fox
- Idaho vs. Oregon at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET on BTN
- Fresno State vs. Michigan at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET on NBC
- UCLA vs. Hawaii at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET on CBS
- Weber State vs. Washington at 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET on BTN
Sunday (Sept. 1):
- USC vs. LSU at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET on ABC
