TV guide to college football

In this day and age, just about every college football game is televised in some capacity, especially now that online streaming is a widely available option.  Yet, in the midst of all of the different channels, apps, websites, licenses, sublicenses, and brandings, some folks still have some issues figuring out exactly where they can find the game they want to watch.

Just keep in mind that TV rights are based on the home team, and usually controlled by conference.

The ESPN Family

We'll start with the self-proclaimed "Worldwide Leader in Sports."  Generally, it's the best place to start looking in your TV guide for any particular game.  The ESPN franchise has rights to all of the Power 5 conferences.  They control all of the ACC rights, and the majority of the SEC rights, while splitting the other conferences with other networks.  ESPN as a whole also has the rights to the majority of bowl games, including the College Football Playoff.

ESPN and ESPN2 - the main two ESPN cable channels.

ESPNU - a cable channel that primarily focuses on college athletics, but is available in fewer places than ESPN or ESPN2.

ESPNEWS - a cable channel that is mostly SportsCenter and documentary reruns.  However, ESPN has started to air some lower tier football games on this channel.

ABC - one of the major broadcast networks.  Due to the split in over-the-air and cable rights, ABC cannot broadcast any SEC home games.

SEC Network - a cable channel that focuses solely on the SEC.  There are also "alternate" channels, sometimes only available in SD to some TV systems, so they can show multiple games in the same timeslot.  Sometimes those show up in TV listings or schedules as "SEC Network + ".

ESPN Goal Line - a special cable channel that usually is only available in higher tier sports packages which moves around all of the games on the ESPN family of channels to showcase big plays and scores.  (Similar to NFL's RedZone.)  Sometimes this is simulcast on one of the regular ESPN channels in between other games (or in cases when games are delayed or cancelled at the last minute).

Longhorn Network - somehow the University of Texas managed to get a channel all to themselves.

ESPN3 - an online-only "channel". Games shown on ESPN3 are available to anyone who can verify their internet connection, and requires no cable subscription.  Games on ESPN3 are generally not broadcast on TV.  However, games shown on ABC are made available on ESPN3, and therefore can be streamed with no cable subscription required.

ACC Network Extra - an online-only "channel" that focuses on the ACC.  It is supposed to supplement the upcoming ACC Network cable channel that ESPN will be starting in 2019.  Essentially, this is ESPN3, but with a different logo for ACC games.  This is not to be confused with the current form of the ACC Network, which will be explained below.

WatchESPN - this is the app that streams all of the content from all of the ESPN channels, including ESPN3 and ACC Network Extra.  However, if you want to stream games that appear on any of the actual ESPN TV channels, you have to sign in with your cable or satellite credentials.  ESPN is also streaming games through their general ESPN app, which also includes scores, news, and other highlights.

WatchESPN is not the same as ESPN3.  It is possible to watch ESPN3 games without a cable subscription, and it is possible to watch them without the WatchESPN app.

ESPN also gathers content from other sources and lists it as "ESPN3" or "ACC Network Extra" or "SEC Network +".  So, if a game is listed on ESPN's website as being on one of those platforms, it might also be available elsewhere.

(As a sidebar, I currently prefer the WatchESPN app over the general ESPN app, since it is dedicated to streaming the games.)

The Fox Family

Fox has been known for their NFL coverage, and has seriously picked up their game in the college realm since their terrible BCS coverage of the mid 2000s.  They share rights to the Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac-12.

Fox - one of the main broadcast networks.

FS1 and FS2 - also known as "Fox Sports 1" and "Fox Sports 2".

Fox Sports Net (FSN) - a series of regional sports networks.  Most are branded as "Fox Sports (insert city/region/team here)".  In most areas, this is where you can find the ACC game listed as "RSN" (fully explained below).

BTN - the Big Ten Network, a cable network dedicated to the Big Ten Conference, co-owned by Fox.  Also has "alternate" channels, sometimes only in SD, for multiple games in the same time slot.

Fox Sports Go - the streaming app for Fox Sports content.  It does not appear to support the regional sports channels.

The CBS Family

The main CBS channel has rights to SEC games, while the company as a whole has rights to several Group of 5 conferences, including the MAC, Mountain West, American, and CUSA, plus Army games.  For some reason, CBS also has the rights to the Sun Bowl.

CBS - the broadcast channel with over-the-air rights to SEC games.  They get one SEC game in the 3:30 timeslot each Saturday, with an occasional doubleheader.

CBS Sports Network - a cable channel with low distribution compared to the other sports channels.

The NBC Family

NBC has the rights to all Notre Dame home games, and also has picked up rights to several FCS conferences.  The NBC related channels seem to be on more cable systems, probably due to them being able to leverage the Olympics every two years.

NBC - one of the main broadcast networks, which has rights to all Notre Dame home games.

NBCSN - a cable channel dedicated to sports.  Occasionally, a Notre Dame game will be slid over to this channel.

CSN - Comcast Sports Net, a regional sports cable channel.  It is not limited to Comcast cable systems.  In October, the various CSNs will be rebranding to "NBC Sports (insert city here)".  They pick up ACC regional games in areas not served by a Fox Sports regional channel.

Others

ACC Network - currently, Raycom Sports has a deal with ESPN to sublicense one or two ACC games each week for a syndicated broadcast available to local stations all across the country.  In many markets, it shows up on affiliates of smaller networks, such as CW or MyNetwork, or as subchannels of larger stations.  This is expected to go away when the ACC Network cable channel launches in 2019.  ESPN sometimes lists these games on their own TV schedule as "ACC Network Extra", as the games are said to be available on the WatchESPN app, as part of ESPN3/ACCNE, but are subject to blackout in most of the country.  However, the game is available on the ACC app and on the ACC website.

RSN - literally stands for "Regional Sports Network."  ESPN also sublicenses one or two other ACC games per week to Fox, who produces the games for regional cable sports channels.  In most cases, the games are aired on Fox Sports Net (FSN) or "Fox Sports (insert city/region name here)".  In areas where there is no FSN, they are provided to other regional channels, such as CSN (Comcast -- soon to be NBC Sports "insert city here").  Sometimes, these games appear on odd channels like "The Comcast Channel", which is available only on Comcast systems.  These games supposedly are available on ESPN3/WatchESPN, but generally are blacked out in areas where the games can be found on television.

Pac-12 Network - essentially, a group of regional cable channels on the west coast.  This network has very little distribution outside of states in the Pac-12.

Eleven Sports - a cable channel that quietly launched in 2017 with some FCS and UMass football games.

Stadium - previously known as ASN (American Sports Network), this is a broadcast service that shows up mostly on digital subchannels of broadcast channels.  There is a cable channel for it as well on some systems.  They also appear to be doing a lot of streaming, and partnering with sites like Facebook.