Week 3 brings forward some intriguing matchups and a handful of “trap” games—ranked teams facing weak opponents they should beat, and as a tougher game looms near. For example, No. 7 Notre Dame hosts New Mexico this week, with Georgia coming next Saturday. No. 24 Southern California travels to Provo, Utah, to face BYU, but has No. 11 Utah circled on the docket next week.
Then, there are games that might cost jobs, depending on team performance. Coming immediately to mind: Florida State at No. 25 Virginia. Florida State head coach Willie Taggart was supposed to bring the once-mighty program out of its doldrums. The Seminoles, however, needed 36 carries and 193 yards out of junior tailback Cam Akers, to squeeze by Louisiana-Monroe—a program that’s had one winning season since joining Division I in 1994.
Let’s take a quick look at the difference-making matchups for Week 3: Below are six can’t-miss ball games—along with how to stream them online.
College football 2019 live stream
The following services, save for ESPN+, offer a one-week free trial and all carry ESPN and Fox Sports.
1) Sling TV
- Sling TV pricing: $25-$40 per month (40% 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 $25 per month. Sling Orange includes three ESPN channels, while Sling Blue includes sports channels like NFL Network, FS1 and FS2, NBCSN, and local channels. If you’re Team “Why Not Both,” Sling Orange + Blue combines the two for just $40 per month. Sports Extra: Sling Blue ($10 per month) also includes NFL RedZone.
Sling TV Latino is another Spanish-language package for $10 per month, including NBC Universo, History en Español, and—of import to soccer fans—four beIN SPORTS channels. (And choosing Sling TV Latino + Sling Orange for $30 per month gives you access to ESPN Deportes.) For more information, check out our guide to Sling TV channels and our Sling TV review.
For $10 extra per month, you can get NFL RedZone via the Sling Blue Sports Extra package.
How to use AirTV with Sling
AirTV solves one of the 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.
2) ESPN+
- Cost: $4.99 per month or $49.99 for 12 months
- Devices: Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku players and TV, Oculus Go, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Samsung smart TVs, and iOS and Android devices
ESPN+ is a subscription service that extends ESPN’s existing website and app, carrying all MLS matches not on ESPN or FS1, as well as Serie A+, USL, Copa America, and FA Cup matches. It encompasses other sporting events as well, including 20 exclusive UFC Fight Night events per year, 180 NHL games, at least one MLB game a day for every day of the season, and a cornucopia of college sports.
ESPN+ also features the network’s sports talk programming, and it features original series starting with the entire 30 for 30 catalog ESPN made its name on. It also unlocks more content and fewer ads on the ESPN site.
3) PlayStation Vue
- Cost: $44.99-$79.99 per month
- PlayStation Vue devices: PlayStation 3 and 4, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Google Chromecast, Kodi, iOS and Android devices
- PlayStation Vue local channels: NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
PlayStation Vue is a fantastic option for fans who already own a PlayStation console, but this streaming platform is available on a variety of devices. ESPN and FS1 are part of the Core package of channels, and the options increase at the Elite and Ultra levels.
4) Hulu with Live TV
- Cost: $44.99 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.)
5) 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 fans, including ESPN and FS1. (Take a look at the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
College football 2019 schedule: 6 Can’t-miss Week 3 games
Sep. 14
Air Force at Colorado, 7:30 ET | ESPN
This one is a long time coming: Back on Oct. 13, 1973, Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Albert P. Clark, a former German prisoner of war during World War II, saw his uniformed staff accosted by Colorado students opposing the Vietnam War. Clark saw to it that the series ended after 1974. And we back. Colorado boasts underrated talent (at least nationally) at the skill positions, featuring receiver and future NFL draft pick Laviska Shenault.
(No. 24) Southern California at BYU, 3:30pm ET | ABC
Not the cleanest version of a trap game, but USC traveling to Provo, just a week ahead of a date with No. 11 Utah, will be dicey. This will be an interesting go for 18-year-old Trojan QB Kedon Slovis, who threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns against Stanford. For the first time in a while, head coach Kalani Sitake’s Cougars will be featured on a national stage with a golden opportunity to put BYU back in the top 25 and the national conversation.
Stanford at (No. 25) Central Florida, 3:30pm ET | ESPN
This is arguably the most interesting game on the rundown, due to its off-conference match. Stanford is coming off a bad 45-20 loss at USC but gets a boost with K.J. Costello back at quarterback. UCF features a carousel of QBs, led by Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush, who’s been dinged up. The Knights, who need the win for their Group of Five/major bowl chances, have rushed for over 300 yards for consecutive weeks via a talented committee that includes Greg McCrae, Adrian Killins, and Otis Anderson.
(No. 19) Iowa at Iowa State, 4pm ET | FS1
Senior QB Nate Stanley had 236 yards passing and three scores in a 30-o smashing of Rutgers, but the Cyclones present a different animal. Iowa State overlooked Northern Iowa—squeaking by in three overtimes a couple of weeks ago—likely peeking ahead to this critical matchup against an in-state rival. Also adding flavor, ESPN’s College GameDay rides into Ames, Iowa, for the first time.
Florida State at (No. 25) Virginia, 7:30pm ET | ACC Network
Florida State head coach Willie Taggert is in no man’s land. First, the fans aren’t too excited about the team’s ongoing prospects. The current iteration of the program holds leftovers from the Jimbo Fisher era, which ended without much talent in the cupboard; 2020 is looking good for the program but Taggert has to get their intact first. Bronco Mendenhall’s Cavaliers are tough and smart. FSU will come to Charlottesville as a seven-point dog—who would’ve ever envisioned this, even 10 years ago?
(No. 5) Oklahoma at UCLA, 8pm ET | Fox
What simply cannot happen is Jalen Hurts coming West to the Rose Bowl, and for his Sooners to absolutely demolish the (once mighty, but already 0-2) Bruins, even as three-TD favorites. Head coach Chip Kelly hasn’t quite rediscovered the magic he had at Oregon but also hasn’t located the talent he used to pluck from unsuspecting areas, especially the state of Texas. With more TDs (nine) than incompletions (seven) to this point, Hurts has been the salve Lincoln Riley hoped for at QB.
READ MORE:
- How to watch Pac-12 Network online
- How to stream ACC Network Extra
- How to watch SEC Network online
- How to stream the Big Ten Network
- Is ESPN+ actually worth it?
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