How to Watch the 2026-27 College Football Playoff Without Cable

The 2026-27 College Football Playoff is 11 games packed into about five weeks, from the first round on December 18 to the national championship on Monday, January 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The tricky part for cord cutters is that the games are spread across several networks: ESPN, ABC, TNT and truTV all have a piece of the first round alone. That means a single streaming app or antenna usually will not cover everything.

This guide breaks down the full playoff TV picture, shows you which channels you can watch in KrushTV, compares costs with the big live TV streamers, and walks you through getting set up before Selection Day on Sunday, December 6.

2026-27 College Football Playoff Schedule at a Glance

The 12-team bracket plays four first-round games, four quarterfinals, two semifinals and the championship. Here are the confirmed details so far:

Kickoff times and channels for later rounds get locked in as the bracket takes shape, so treat the Sports Guide in the KrushTV app as your live source of truth each game day.

Which Playoff Games You Can Watch in KrushTV

Here is the honest breakdown for the first round, the only round with confirmed channels right now:

Saturday noon game: ABC simulcast

The noon game on December 19 airs on ABC as well as ESPN. KrushTV carries local ABC stations in many US cities, so you can watch the ABC broadcast of this game. If you are not sure your city is covered, our guide to local channels on IPTV explains how local stations work, and the free trial lets you check your market directly.

Saturday afternoon and night games: TNT

The 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM ET games air on TNT and truTV. TNT is in the KrushTV lineup, so both of these games are covered through TNT.

Friday night game: check the Sports Guide

The December 18 game kicks off at 8 PM ET on ESPN. We do not promise the main ESPN channel in KrushTV, so on game day open the Sports Guide, which lists today's games with live scores and the channel each game is on. The same goes for anything listed only on truTV, and for the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship once their networks are set.

Cost Comparison: Playoff Season Without Cable

The playoff window runs from Selection Day in early December to January 25, so you need roughly two months of service. Here is what that looks like:

The KrushTV 3 month plan comfortably covers Selection Day through the championship, with time to spare. If you also want the NFL stretch run and next fall's college season, the 1 Year plan is $75, which works out to $6.25 a month. Every plan is a one-time payment with no contract, so there is nothing to cancel in February. You can pay by debit or credit card, Cash App or Bitcoin. See every option on the pricing page.

Bowl Season Is Covered Too

The playoff is only part of the postseason. Dozens of bowl games fill December and early January, and many of them air on ESPN2, ESPNU and CBS Sports Network, all confirmed in the KrushTV lineup. Conference channels like SEC Network, ACC Network and Big Ten Network are also included for shoulder programming and replays. For the regular season picture, see our full guide on how to watch college football without cable.

Get Set Up Before Selection Day

Do not wait until kickoff to install an app. A smooth setup takes a few minutes if you do it early:

1. Start your free trial. Message KrushTV on WhatsApp at +1 949-594-8817 or use the chat on the free trial page. No credit card needed.
2. Install the app. On Firestick, Fire TV or Android TV, open the Downloader app and enter code 6826306 to get the KrushTV app. Android phones and tablets also run the KrushTV app.
3. Using Apple or a Smart TV? iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Smart TVs and PCs work through player apps such as IPTV Smarters or TiviMate. Step by step instructions are on the setup guides page.
4. Find your channels. Locate your local ABC station and TNT, then add them to My List for one click access on December 19.
5. Open the Sports Guide. On every playoff day, check it for the channel each game is on, plus live scores from the other games.

Watching on More Than One TV

Playoff Saturday has back to back games, and not everyone in the house wants the same matchup. Every KrushTV plan allows 2 screens at the same time. Need more? Add 1 screen for $10 on the 3 or 6 month plan ($20 on the 1 year plan), or 2 more screens for $15 (3 months), $20 (6 months) or $40 (1 year). Our guide to watching on multiple TVs covers the details. If kids are watching too, the family PIN hides adult content, and Continue watching makes it easy to pick up a replay where you left off.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the 2026-27 College Football Playoff start and end?

Selection Day is Sunday, December 6. The playoff has 11 games, starting with the first round on December 18 and 19 and ending with the national championship on January 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

What channels show the College Football Playoff first round?

The December 18 game is at 8 PM ET on ESPN. On December 19, the noon game airs on ABC and ESPN, and the 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM ET games air on TNT and truTV.

Can I watch the College Football Playoff on KrushTV?

KrushTV includes TNT and local ABC stations in many US cities, which covers the ABC simulcast and the TNT games of the first round. For games on other channels, open the Sports Guide in the KrushTV app on game day to see which channel has the game.

How much does it cost to watch the College Football Playoff without cable?

Live TV streaming services such as YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV cost $82.99 a month each. KrushTV's 3 month plan is a one-time $40 payment that covers Selection Day through the championship and never auto-renews.

Can I try KrushTV before the playoff starts?

Yes. KrushTV offers a free 3-day trial with no credit card. Message on WhatsApp at +1 949-594-8817 or use the chat on krushtv.com to start it.

Bottom Line

The College Football Playoff is split across ESPN, ABC, TNT and truTV, so the smart move is a setup that covers as much as possible for as little as possible. KrushTV gives you the ABC simulcast through your local ABC station, the TNT games, bowl season on ESPN2, ESPNU and CBS Sports Network, and a Sports Guide that tells you where every game is on the day it is played, all for a one-time $40 for three months. Questions? Support is available 24/7 on WhatsApp or by email at support.krushtv@gmail.com.