The Michigan State Spartans hope to take the next step in their rebuild under head coach Jonathan Smith. The problem is the Big Ten became tougher with the additions of Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA.
If you’re a Spartans fan hoping to stream games live, we’ll help. Our guide shows you which channels you’ll need for this season. We’ll also touch on the best plan from each live TV streaming service to ensure you have all the channels you need to see Spartans' action.
To say the Spartans have a challenging schedule this season is an understatement. They have a stretch beginning in late September, where they play Ohio State, Oregon, Iowa and Michigan. Ohio State and Oregon alone are elite-level competition, and the Spartans play both in six days. The schedule does become more manageable as the Spartans head into November. Here’s a glance at their full schedule:
Date | Opposing Team | Time | Channel |
---|---|---|---|
Friday, August 30th |
Florida Atlantic |
7:00 p.m. |
BTN |
Saturday, September 7th |
Maryland |
3:30 p.m. |
BTN |
Saturday, September 14th |
Prairie View A&M |
3:30 p.m. |
BTN |
Saturday, September 21st |
Boston College |
TBD |
TBD |
Saturday, September 28th |
Ohio State |
TBD |
TBD |
Friday, October 4th |
Oregon |
9:00 p.m. |
Fox |
Saturday, October 19th |
Iowa |
TBD |
TBD |
Saturday, October 26th |
Michigan |
TBD |
TBD |
Saturday, November 2nd |
Indiana |
TBD |
TBD |
Saturday, November 16th |
Illinois |
TBD |
TBD |
Friday, November 22nd |
Purdue |
8:00 p.m. |
Fox |
Saturday, November 30th |
Rutgers |
TBD |
TBD |
You’ll want a streaming service with Fox, Big Ten Network and ESPN. ESPN is a must-have for college football fans, as it has the playoffs and the national championship game.
Below is a look at the streaming platforms offering the channels you need:
DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fox |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓* |
✓ |
Big Ten Network |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
ESPN |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
*Local channels only available in select locations |
Spartans fans will find everything they need with DIRECTV STREAM. The Choice package is your best bet, as it has ESPN, Fox, the Big Ten Network, regional sports like Bally, NBA TV and the NFL Network. However, it’s important to note that DIRECTV STREAM’s service is the priciest option in our guide.
Even with a steeper price, many find it worth it because of the extra perks you’ll get with any of the DIRECTV STREAM plans. Each plan offers unlimited DVR, a must-have for any college football fan. You’ll also receive unlimited home device streams to capture as much action on Saturdays as you crave.
Fubo is a more affordable alternative for Spartans fans. The Pro package includes the same regional sports channels on DIRECTV STREAM’s higher plans. With the Pro plan, you receive ESPN, the Big Ten Network, Fox, NBC, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2 and the NFL Network. Which makes the Pro plan a top choice for avid football fans. Note that a fee may be applied for any packages that include regional sports networks.
Further, each of Fubo’s plans has unlimited cloud DVR recording and up to 10 simultaneous streams on your home network. You’ll also receive remote device streams. Fubo packs ample sports channels into an affordable package, making it an enticing option.
Hulu + Live TV is a unique departure from other streaming services. You can watch Spartans games with the platform’s live TV service. The live TV service includes ESPN, Fox, the Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network and NFL Network.
For a buck more, you can add the Disney Bundle. It’s a convenient option for families, as you receive on-demand content from Hulu, Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. With an ESPN Plus membership, you can read premium college football content on ESPN’s website and gain access to some football games exclusively airing on ESPN Plus.
Sling TV is an affordable choice for Michigan State fans. When looking at Sling TV’s packages, the Sling Orange package features three ESPN channels and TNT. TNT broadcasts one of the first-round games of the playoffs. You won’t find everything you need for Spartans football in either of Sling TV’s base packages.
However, if you want to stream games on the Big Ten Network, you’ll need to combine the Sling Orange and Blue plans and subscribe to the Sports Extra package. You’ll receive the Big Ten Network, NFL Redzone, Fox Sports 2 and many more. If local channels are unavailable in your area, you can buy a digital antenna to stream games on Fox.
If you want to watch every game live and not have to add any additional packages, YouTube TV is your best bet. The YouTube TV channel list is extensive and includes many of the channels you need to catch the Spartans this season.
With the base plan, you receive ESPN, the Big Ten Network, Fox, Fox Sports 1, ESPN 2, Fox Sports 2, CBS Sports Network and NFL Network. Your plan also includes unlimited DVR and the picture-in-picture feature. It is where you can stream the Spartans and other Big Ten games concurrently. YouTube TV’s value, channel offerings and viewing features make it one of the top choices for college football fans.
You’ll need Hulu’s live TV service. With it, you can stream games on ESPN, Fox and the Big Ten Network. You’ll also have unlimited DVR to record as much content as you want without worrying about having no recording room.
Yes, YouTube TV includes every channel you need to stream every game live. You can watch other games while streaming the Spartans with the picture-in-picture feature. YouTube TV also makes it simple to record games by adding Michigan State to your favorite teams during setup.
You can take advantage of the free trials offered by streaming platforms. Most companies promote five to seven-day trials, allowing you to see if it is a good fit. You could also buy a digital antenna to stream Michigan State games on Fox, NBC, ABC and CBS. While there is a small out-of-pocket expense up front, you won’t have any monthly bills.