Representing the Southeastern Conference, No. 13 Alabama (10-2) takes on Big 10 delegate No. 14 Michigan Wolverines (9-3) in a New Year’s Day matchup at Camping World Stadium in Orlando in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl.
Viewers can throw stats out of the window: This is about (competing) motivations.
The Crimson Tide walked through its first eight games before losing in a nip-and-tuck 46-41 game to LSU. Following two additional wins, including a useless 66-3 drubbing of Western Carolina, Alabama lost 48-45 to Auburn in the Iron Bowl. (Its No. 13 ranking is laughable given its losses, by a combined eight points, come to well-regarded schools.)
Michigan will be absolutely juiced to play Alabama, because for head coach Jim Harbaugh, this has to be about more than football. It’s about respect for Big 10 football and Michigan as a national brand for nonlocal or regional big-name recruits to respect. However, the Wolverines have lost their last three bowl games.
Motivation could be an issue for the Crimson Tide, which expects to be playing for national championships and nothing less. Alabama head coach Nick Saban said he thinks his team has approached the game with the right mindset.
“I talked to the players about, ‘We want you to have a good time, we want you to enjoy yourself, but we also want to play well in the game,’” he said, ESPN reported. “We’ve got a lot to prove in this game in terms of, we’re a little bit disappointed in how we finished the season, so this is an opportunity that we have to try to play well against a good team.”
Here’s how to watch Alabama vs. Michigan in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl.
| HOW TO STREAM VRBO CITRUS BOWL | |
| SLING TV | TRY NOW |
| HULU WITH LIVE TV | TRY NOW |
Obligatory #VrboCitrusBowl Trophy shot with the fresh Florida Citrus on top. pic.twitter.com/tPnZkSbnih
— Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (@CitrusBowl) December 29, 2019
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
- Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando
- Date: Jan. 1, 1pm ET
- Streaming: ABC
How to stream Alabama vs. Michigan live: Watch the Citrus Bowl
The following services offer a one-week trial.
1) Sling TV
- Sling TV pricing: $30-$45 per month ($10 off the first month)
- Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV,Roku,Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, Microsoft Edge, and iOS and Android devices
- Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)
Sling TV provides two base channel package options, each priced at $30 per month. Sling Orange includes three ESPN channels, while Sling Blue includes sports channels like NFL Network, NBCSN, and local channels.
Sling Blue customers in select markets get NBC; see if yours has it here. Sling Blue also brings Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and Headline News as part of its regular slate of channels, with Fox Business Channel available for those who get the Sling Blue News Extra add-on. Sports Extra: Sling Blue ($10 per month) also includes NFL RedZone.
If you’re Team “Why Not Both,” Sling Orange + Blue combines the two for just $45 per month.
How to use AirTV with Sling
AirTV solves one of Sling’s biggest problems: The inability to receive all of your local channels. By purchasing a basic AirTV for $79.99 or the AirTV Player for $119.99, you can merge those local channels into your Sling TV, (or on your mobile device if you have the basic AirTV). As the Daily Dot wrote in its AirTV review, “It’s practically magic.”
The basic AirTV is a dual-tuner streaming device, while the AirTV Player is basically an upgraded Chromecast that has Netflix preinstalled. You’ll still need to own an HD antenna because even though AirTV gets you access to your local channels, it doesn’t actually physically show them to you.
But AirTV—which has no monthly fee—serves to strengthen one of Sling’s biggest weaknesses compared to other live streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue. All those services have plenty of local channels. While select NFL and college football games (on Fox, FS1, and FS2) are no longer on Sling, you can still catch Fox games with AirTV.
2) Hulu with Live TV
- Cost: $54.99 per month
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
- Hulu local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)
Hulu with Live TV includes sports programming among its offerings, including ESPN and FS1, and as a subscriber to the service, you’ll get free access to Hulu’s sizable on-demand library. (Check out the full list of Hulu Live TV channels.)
3) YouTube TV
- Cost: $50 per month
- YouTube TV devices: Google Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices
- YouTube TV local channels: NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
YouTube TV is a great option for college football: Fox, ABC, NBC, CBS, FS1, FS2, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN News, and ESPNU are all here and offer a nearly 360 programming platter of action. (Take a look at the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
Vrbo Citrus Bowl: Notes
Mac Jones has played pretty well in relief of the injured Tua Tagovailoa: 1,176 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns (including four scores against Auburn) and only three picks. He’s Alabama’s QB1 of the future, so this game against Michigan will be an excellent chance for him to solidify his position heading into next season.
#Alabama QB Mac Jones has had over a month to settle in as the new leader for the offense. Talking with him today he sure sounds confident, with a big chance to prove himself. pic.twitter.com/oPYpZyJYL6
— Chris Breece (@Breecegolfbet) December 28, 2019
New to cord-cutting? Here are our picks for the best movie streaming sites of 2018 and free live TV apps and channels. If you’re looking for a specific channel, here’s how to watch HBO, Showtime, Starz, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, AMC, FX, Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, FS1, TBS, TNT, Golf Channel, Syfy, HGTV, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Bravo, Lifetime, Discovery, PBS, the CW, BBC, CSPAN, NBA TV, MTV, Comedy Central, Food Network, TLC, the Weather Channel, and NFL RedZone without cable, as well as free movies on YouTube. If you’re on the move, here’s how to watch Fox Sports Go and live stream NBC Sports.
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