How To Watch Notre Dame Football in 2024

The Fighting Irish are gearing up for another season at Notre Dame. The storied team has 10 games on their schedule right now, including a post-Thanksgiving matchup against USC, which is going to be a must-watch for Notre Dame fans. Marcus Freeman will lead the Irish for his third full season, coming off a 10-win season in 2023. Notre Dame was ranked at 14 at the end of last season, so the question is will the Fighting Irish crack the Top 10 for the first time since 2021 this year? 

Riley Leonard is taking the field as the starting quarterback this year, which has many fans excited about playoff potential. The season kicks off on Saturday, August 31, when Notre Dame travels to Texas to play Texas A&M. The team plays almost every week leading into the Shamrock Series at the end of November. 

Since 1991, all of Notre Dame’s home games have aired on NBC, but here’s how you can watch the Fighting Irish with or without cable, wherever you are.

The Fighting Irish are away for their first game of the season but return to Notre Dame stadium for the Week 2 game against Northern Illinois. While the team doesn’t have an easy path to a winning season, the back half of the fall will feature multiple rivalry battles beginning with the Navy on Saturday, October 26. Notre Dame gets a week off before they face Florida State in Indiana. Of course, everyone should circle Saturday, November 30, on the calendar for the matchup against USC. Although we don’t have a time or a channel to watch Notre Dame play USC, we know it’s going to be a headbanger battle. 

Where to watch Notre Dame football

Every Notre Dame home game will air on NBC and simulcast on Peacock, if you prefer streaming. A few other games this season will air on CBS and ABC, so you are going to want to make sure you have your basic cable package or a live TV streaming service with your local broadcast channels to watch the most Notre Dame games. The Fighting Irish currently don’t have any games scheduled on the Big Ten Network, but if you’re interested in other college football games, it’s a good one to have on service so you can see what the competition is up to all season. 

• Suggested Plan: Choice
• Price: $108.99
• Free Trial: Yes
• Channels Included: ABC, CBS, NBC, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPNU, and more

DIRECTV STREAM is one of the most robust live TV streaming services out there. The Choice plan will get you all the local channels that you need, plus several additional sports channels that will make enjoying college football (and most sports of your choice) a breeze. DIRECTV STREAM also offers over 30 different regional sports networks, so you can also watch the professional teams in your area. 

The Choice plan also comes with unlimited DVR recordings, the ability to stream on the DIRECTV app, streaming on unlimited devices at home and you can watch your favorite programs even if you forget to record them for up to 72 hours. DIRECTV STREAM is pricier than other options on the list, but you get so much for the money. It is worth considering spending a little more especially if you are a multi-faceted sports fan that’s going to want access to coverage and analysis of a lot of major sports.

• Suggested Plan: Pro
• Price: $79.99
• Free Trial: Yes
• Channels Included: ABC, NBC, CBS, FS1, Big 10 Network, ESPN, NFL Network, CBS Sports Network, and more

If you don’t want to break the bank and regional sports networks aren’t crucial for you, maybe consider Fubo. You can get every channel you need to watch Notre Dame with the Pro plan. The Pro plan will give you local broadcast channels, the Big Ten Network, ESPN, and even more. The entertainment options include FX, Freeform, Hallmark, MTV, and the Disney Channel, so you can watch sports and keep the family entertained. 

When looking at Fubo plans, the Pro plan also includes unlimited DVR storage and streaming on up to 10 devices in your home network, plus two on the go. If you select the Family Share add-on feature, you can access up to three devices outside of your home network, making it easier to share Fubo with those you love.

• Suggested Plan: Hulu + Live TV Bundle
• Price: $76.99
• Free Trial: Yes
• Channels Included: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Big 10 Network, ESPN, ESPNU, NFL Network, and more

The Hulu + Live TV Bundle will also get you every network you need to watch Notre Dame and the majority of other college football teams. The Hulu + Live TV Bundle comes with your local broadcast networks plus Big Ten Network, ESPNU, NFL Network, CBS Sports Network, and so much more. We suggest the Live TV Bundle with ads since there is no avoiding commercials in live sports, but you can upgrade to get no ads on Hulu and Disney Plus for an extra monthly fee. The Hulu + Live TV Bundle also gives you ESPN Plus, which will give you hours of more sports content and analysis, along with ESPN originals. 

Hulu + Live TV Bundle also includes unlimited DVR storage and the Live Guide, which will tell you what’s airing over the next two weeks. You can stream on up to two screens at a time and create up to six separate profiles for your household. The Disney Bundle is great if you also want to maximize your entertainment options because you’ll have access to the Hulu streaming service with next-day episodes of your broadcast favorite shows and the Disney Plus library, which is essential for any Star Wars and Marvel fan, or if you have kids at home.

• Suggested Plan: Sling Orange & Blue with the Sports Extra add-on
• Price: $55, plus an additional $11 for Sports Extra
• Free Trial: No
• Channels Included: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN 3, broadcast networks in select regions

Sling is one of the most affordable live TV streaming services, but you need to check if Sling carries NBC and ABC in your area before signing up. Otherwise, you may find that you’re going to miss a lot of the games that you want to watch. However, note that even if Sling TV does not have ABC in your area, all games broadcast on ABC will be simulcast on ESPN3, which comes with Sling Orange & Blue or just the Sling Orange plan. To make sure you get the biggest bang for your buck, we also recommend getting the Sports Extra add-on, which will give you the Big Ten Network along with NBA TV, ESPNU, FS2, and more. 

The Sling Orange & Blue plan allows you to stream on up to four devices at a time (three on the Blue channels and an extra device streaming Orange). The plan comes with 50 hours of DVR storage, but you can upgrade to 200 hours. While Sling does not offer an introductory free trial, they often offer limited-time discounts when you sign up.

• Suggested Plan: Base
• Price: $72.99 per month
• Free Trial: Yes
• Channels Included: ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network, and more

YouTube TV is another great option for Notre Dame fans. You’ll get the local basic cable channels you need to watch the majority of Notre Dame games, including all home games on NBC. Also, YouTube TV offers an NFL Red Zone with Sports Plus add-on, which means you’ll get access to professional football coverage too. Overall, YouTube TV has a lot of great features for all-around sports fans. The Base plan includes your broadcast channels along with ESPN, ESPNU, FS1, FS2, CBS Sports Network, SEC Network, and more. 

Every YouTube TV plan comes with unlimited DVR space and the Key Plays View, which allows you to watch game-changing plays during the big games. You can have up to six household accounts and stream on up to three devices simultaneously. YouTube TV also has a partnership with NFL Sunday Ticket, where you can get a year subscription so you can watch every out-of-market Sunday afternoon game.

FAQs

Notre Dame home games will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock, but away games will be on different channels like ABC or CBS, depending on the schedule. 

Can I watch Notre Dame football on Hulu?

You can watch Notre Dame football if you have the Hulu + Live TV service, which allows you to watch games on NBC, ABC, CBS, and more. 

How can I watch college football for free?

You can watch college games for free if you sign up for a free trial with a live TV streaming service on opt to watch local broadcast channels with a digital antenna. You can also listen to Notre Dame games on the Notre Dame radio network if you can’t find a game with your cable or streaming package.