Week 5 brings significant matchups, including Notre Dame attempting to right the ship en route to the College Football Playoff. Even with the close Georgia loss, Notre Dame has outside shot of reaching the final four; however, its entry is wholly dependent on the strength of the remaining schedule up to the point it plays each team. The Fighting Irish play No. 18 Virginia at home this week. They will get a wounded No. 21 USC and underwhelming No. 20 Michigan in October—both teams with high flux ranges in terms of win-loss direction.
Speaking of Southern Cal, it appears it will go without still-injured true freshman QB Kedon Slovis. Third-stringer Matt Fink, who played well in last week’s win over Utah, will get the start. The Trojans will travel up to Seattle to face No. 17 Washington in a Pac 12 showdown.
Let’s take a quick look at the difference-making matchups for Week 5: 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, 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. 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) 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: 7 can’t-miss Week 5 games
Friday, Sept. 27
No. 12 Penn State at Maryland, 7pm ET | ESPN
The Nittany Lions will visit an exceedingly mercurial team in the Terrapins, who haven’t decided who they are going to be. Penn State should roll, just on the strength of their superior talent and depth. However, games in College Park are rarely easy to call in any direction. It’ll be up to QB Sean Clifford and the Lions’ offense to figure how long the Terps stay in it. How’s that? Third-down efficiency. Penn State is 7-for-30, 23.3 percent, which is currently last in the Big 10. If they can’t stop Maryland QB Josh Jackson’s big plays downfield and convert on their own third-and-short or mediums, Penn State will be in for a dogfight.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Coastal Carolina vs Appalachian State, 3:30pm ET | ESPN+
Appalachian State looks to continue their roll, off a rousing 34-31 upset win over Mack Brown’s resurgent North Carolina Tarheels. Sitting at 3-0, the Mountaineers are sitting on an interesting opportunity against 3-1 Coastal, who are trying to gain respect with the Sun Belt Conference and beyond. Coastal is tough against the run, allowing just 106.8 per game, go for third in the conference and 34th in the nation. The rub? App. State averages 238 rushing yards per game. The control of the trenches decides this contest.
No. 18 Virginia at No. 10 Notre Dame, 3:30pm ET | NBC
The Cavaliers went down 17-0 but rallied with 28 unanswered points to beat, ahem, Old Dominion. Not a great look; nonetheless, Virginia is 4-0 for the first time in 15 years. There’s still an outside shot that the Fighting Irish make the College Football Playoff, but they cannot lose again. That said, their defense—led by safety Alohi Gilman and defensive ends Khalid Kareem and Julian Okwara—looked like SEC-caliber talent in their loss to the Georgia Bulldogs. The Cavs have their hands full against a hungry team looking for redemption at home.
No. 21 USC at No. 17 Washington, 3:30pm ET | Fox
The Trojans are already on their third-string quarterback in Matt Fink, who will start versus the Huskies. True freshman Kedon Slovis remains out with a concussion, suffered in the 30-23 win over Utah. Fink did well in relief, going 21 of 30, for 351 yards and three touchdowns—but must stay upright, as the only healthy scholarship quarterback left on the roster. Strong-armed Washington QB Jacob Eason, however, looks like a future NFL player, locked in and loaded. The Huskies secondary will have to keep Trojans receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Tyler Vaughns contained. A win for either team keeps them on track for a New Year’s Six bowl game.
Kansas State at Oklahoma State, 7pm | ESPN+
The undefeated Wildcats and first-year coach Chris Kleiman travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Saturday where the former North Dakota State head will attempt to pick up his first Big 12 win. The Cowboys lost 36-30 at No. 11 Texas last weekend, and coach Mike Gundy and his team are favorites this week as they try to get back on track at home. A loss at Texas is nothing to be ashamed of, and a win against freshly ranked Kansas State is the expectation if Oklahoma State has real aspirations in 2019.—Jackson Fowler
No. 5 Ohio State at Nebraska, 7:30pm ET | ABC
QB Justin Fields and the Buckeyes will face their biggest test of the season, traveling to Lincoln to face the improved Cornhuskers (3-1) in a pivotal Big Ten clash. The Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) have dominated their early schedule to the tune of a 214-36 point differential, averaging over 53 points per game. Nebraska needed a rally to get a close win over Illinois. The talented Ohio State defense, featuring defensive end Chase Young, must contend with Adrian Martinez, who put up 445 yards of total offense last week.
BYU at Toledo, 12pm ET | ESPN+
Brigham Young needs a break. As the only school to open with four straight Power Five opponents, it needs a short reset game. The problem is that Toledo isn’t the place for a reset. The Rockets earned a hard-fought 41-35 victory over Colorado State, led by running back Bryant Koback to run for a career-high 228 yards and four touchdowns. This is also the Cougars’ first MAC opponent since 1970 when they lost 35-17 at Western Michigan. Viewers should expect a close game that will go down to the wire.
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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