A Cord Cutters Guide to the 2017 Football Season

Labor Day means beaches, barbecues and yelling at the ref who missed that obvious pass interference call. It’s been a very long few months, but football is finally back.

But with the rapidly changing TV landscape, watching your favorite team isn’t so straightforward anymore, particularly for the millions of Americans that have opted to cut the cord in favor of cable alternatives, like YouTube TV and Sling TV, that have come online in recent years. Fortunately, TheWrap is here to help.

Here’s our comprehensive cord-cutters guide to the 2017-18 professional and college football season:

Also Read: Ratings: NFL Football Carries NBC to Sunday Win

NFL

America’s most popular televised sport is also one of the easiest to watch without a cable or satellite subscription.

The league’s Sunday TV schedule is split between CBS, which broadcasts day games with visiting teams from the AFC, Fox, which handles the NFC, and NBC, which shows Sunday Night Football. The Super Bowl rotates between the three broadcast networks and is on NBC this year. Of course, all of those channels are available free throughout the country via the proto-cord method of watching TV, an antenna.

But for those who may not get good reception or live in a place where an antenna is impractical — or don’t want to have to go to a stationary TV to watch a game like it’s 1998 or something — there are plenty of streaming options, starting with CBS’ very own over-the-top product. CBS All Access costs $5.99 a month (or $9.99 without commercials) and includes NFL games, which vary by the local markets of its users. It carries the local CBS affiliate in about 75 percent of the country’s markets.

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CBS, Fox and NBC are also available on almost every major streaming service, including YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and Fubo TV, with varying degrees of coverage. DirecTV Now has Fox and NBC, but not CBS. It’s best to go to their sites to check which channels are available in which cities, but people in major markets and an increasing number of not-so-major ones can get those three broadcast networks plus NBC without a cable subscription or antenna.

There’s one significant complication: With Verizon having exclusive mobile rights to the NFL, cord-cutters can’t stream NFL games on CBS or Fox on non-Verizon Wireless mobile devices.

The NFL is also simulcasting 10 games in its Thursday night slate, as well as a Christmas Day contest between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans on Amazon Prime Video. Those games are also available on the NFL Network (available on Sling TV, PlayStation Vue’s “Core” tiers and higher and FuboTV’s Premier package) and five apiece (the Amazon games minus Christmas) are simulcast on CBS and NBC.

Also Read: We Found the One NFL Team That Would Sign Colin Kaepernick

Monday Night Football is exclusively on ESPN, which is available on YouTube TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Now and Hulu with Live TV. ESPN is not yet a channel on Fubo Premier, and it’s only available on Sling’s Orange offering (although subscribers can sign up for Sling Orange + Blue for $40/month, $5 less than they would cost independently).

Fans of the league’s addicting RedZone Channel, which bounces back and forth between live games and shows all scoring plays can watch that without cable, as its available on Sling TV (as part of the Sports Extra add-on it offers subscribers to its Blue package) and PlayStation Vue, as well as via a $1.99/month mobile add-on for Verizon Wireless customers. (Update: the day the NFL season started, Fubo TV also added RedZone to its $9/month Sports Plus Tier.)

But if you want to watch every game for an out-of-market team, cord-cutting comes up a little short. NFL Sunday Ticket, which broadcasts all NFL regular season contests, remains a DirecTV exclusive. It’s only available online for people who can’t get DirecTV service or active college students.

Also Read: Jesse Jackson: NFL Owners 'Have Colluded' Against Colin Kaepernick (Video)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The NFL gets going Sept. 7, but college football already started and kicks into high gear over Labor Day weekend. And while NCAA football appears on a whole lot more channels than the pro game, they aren’t too hard to find on most internet TV services.

Fox, CBS, ABC and ESPN tend to broadcast many of the biggest games, with their downwind affiliates like ESPN2, ESPNU, FS1 and FS2 also airing several games each weekend. The ESPN and Fox Sports channels are available on all the major streaming services mentioned already, but not always on their basic tiers. The ESPN channels are only included in Sling Orange, while the Fox channels are restricted to Sling Blue, requiring both to get the full slate of Pac-12 football, for example.

Also Read: ESPN Pulls Robert Lee Out of UVA Football Game in Charlottesville Because of His Name

CBS Sports Network, which primarily shows games from smaller conferences, is more narrowly distributed. That network is included in YouTube TV, Hulu with Live TV and Fubo Premier.

But for fans of those teams who won’t get selected for too many marquee matchups — and fanatics who can’t miss a single game against Directional Michigan — it gets a little more complicated. Fortunately, the proliferation of streaming services means most games are out there somewhere.

Let’s go conference by conference:

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SEC

The country’s strongest conference, featuring preseason No. 1 Alabama, has a showcase “game of the week” on CBS most Saturdays, including some doubleheaders. The other games go to ESPN/ABC, ESPN2 and the ESPN-owned SEC Network, which is available on YouTube TV, Sling Orange, DirecTV Now’s “Go Big” package and up, and Hulu with Live TV.

Big Ten

The heartland’s conference’s marquee games like Ohio State versus Michigan show up on ESPN and ABC. It also has an in-house channel, Big Ten Network, which is available on YouTube TV, DirecTV Now’s $50/month “Just Right” package and up, PlayStation Vue’s “Core” tier and higher, Fubo Premier and Hulu with Live TV.

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Pac-12

The conference, home of national championship contenders USC, Washington and Stanford, has deals with ESPN/ABC and Fox. Its games show up on those three channels plus their affiliates, including ESPN2, FS1, FS2 and the local Fox Sports channels.

The conference has its own TV outlet, the Pac-12 Network, which also shows a handful of games, including USC’s season opener against Western Michigan. Unlike the Big Ten’s channel, the Pac-12 Network remains relatively scarce on streaming services, although it is available on Sling TV’s Blue Sports Extra package and as of Thursday, Fubo Premier. The Pac-12 Network’s regional channels, such as Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Los Angeles, are also available on Sling’s Blue Sports Extra and Fubo’s Sports Plus add-on, which costs an additional $5.99/month.

Fox also has digital channels that broadcast many of the college sports games on its regional sports networks, FOX College Sports Atlantic, FOX College Sports Central and FOX College Sports Pacific, which are available on Fubo’s Sports Plus and PlayStation Vue’s Elite tier.

Also Read: How NFL Football Brought 'This Is Us' Back to NBC Tuesdays

ACC

The conference that includes last year’s national champion, Clemson, can primarily be found on ABC and the ESPN family of networks. ESPN is launching a linear ACC Network in time for next season, but its ACC Network Extra is currently available for ESPN subscribers through its WatchESPN app and on Sling TV.

Big 12

ESPN/ABC and the Fox networks, including FS1, FS2 and the Fox Sports regional channels show the bulk of this conference’s games, featuring the likes of Texas, Oklahoma and TCU. The Big 12 no longer has its own network.

Also Read: ESPN's Latest '30 for 30' Film Spotlights Brilliant But Troubled Soccer Star George Best

Others

Most of the marquee games feature teams from one of the major conferences, but there’s still plenty of interesting football from smaller conference powers like Boise State and no-conference powers like Notre Dame and BYU.

Notre Dame have to watch their team’s home games exclusively on NBC, while the school’s away games this year appear on ESPN and Fox. NBC’s sports cable network, NBCSN, shows Ivy League football as well as one Notre Dame home game this season, September 30 versus Miami University of Ohio.

A good amount of non-power conference games are also broadcast on the CBS Sports Network, which shows contests from Conference USA, the Mountain West, the American Athletic Conference, the Mid-American Conference and Army and Navy. The Fox regional sports networks also show Conference USA football.

Also Read: Fox Fall Premiere Dates: Seth MacFarlane's 'The Orville' Scores 2 Weeks of NFL Lead-ins

There’s also ESPN Goal Line, which features live look-ins and is available on streaming services including Sling TV’s Orange Sports Extra Package. It’s not available on Sling’s Blue Sports Extra package, as Sling Blue doesn’t include any ESPN channels, which helps keep costs down. ESPN is the most expensive cable channel by carriage fee.

And there’s the Sinclair-owned Stadium over-the-top service, which costs $4.99 a month and features games from smaller conferences including the Mountain West, Patriot League and West Coast Conference. Three Stadium channels are also part of Sling’s Blue Sports Extra package.

The streaming future is finally here for football fans. It just requires a little game planning.

26 Streaming TV Shows You Can Binge in a Weekend (Photos)

Labor Day is a great time to hang out with friends and family and do some grilling. It's also a great time to stay in, watch TV, and do absolutely nothing else. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu and Amazon Prime, there are a ton of great shows you can stream while you're avoiding sunlight. Here are 26 that you'll be able to wrap up before heading back to work next week.
"Altered Carbon" (Netflix)

A gritty sci-fi murder mystery, "Altered Carbon" takes place in the distant future, where consciousness can be downloaded and people can switch bodies to live forever -- if they can afford it. Action-packed and twisty, "Altered Carbon" is a great 10-episode mystery to work through on your days off.
Netflix
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (Amazon Prime)

Amazon's period comedy about a housewife turned stand-up comedian took home Golden Globes this year for best comedy TV series and best actress in a comedy series for star Rachel Brosnahan. The funny, expertly cast comedy with eight hour-long episodes to keep you busy for a couple days.
Netflix
"Lost in Space" (Netflix)

Netflix rebooted the 1960s sci-fi TV show "Lost in Space," creating a more modern version of the Robinson family that feels grounded, while still "out there" in a similar way as the original. Parker Posey is also a standout as the slimy Dr. Smith in the 10-episode first season.
Netflix
"The Runaways" (Hulu)

The first Marvel show to make it to Hulu is a refreshing change from the Netflix takes. It follows a group of teenagers as they realize not only that they're special, but that their conspiratorial parents are not to be trusted. At 10 episodes, it's a quick watch and an interesting take on superhero TV shows.
Hulu
"Jack Ryan" (Amazon Prime)

Amazon gives a new look at Tom Clancy's many-storied spy, with John Krasinski taking on the role of the CIA analyst who quickly finds himself trying to take down terrorists. The eight-episode season is a relatively quick watch but has plenty of action and intrigue to keep viewers engaged.

Netflix
"Wormwood" (Netflix)

Directed by legendary documentarian Errol Morris, the hybrid docu-drama miniseries "Wormwood" digs into the story of a man's death, reportedly as part of a CIA experiment in the 1950s. But as files are declassified and more information comes to light, "Wormwood" tells the story of a possible Cold War conspiracy, reenacted by some top Hollywood talent. If you're looking for a new true crime obsession, the six-part miniseries is perfect.
Netflix
"Future Man" (Hulu)

A guy who finds himself recruited by soldiers from the future to fight genetically enhanced bad guys in "Future Man," because he's awesome at a video game. Turns out, he's not especially good at anything else. Riffing on classics like "Back to the Future," "Future Man" is pretty funny, and pretty smart, too. And with one season out, it's easy to work through in a couple of lazy days.
Hulu
"Dark" (Netflix)

It's easy to get lost in the mystery of "Dark," which centers on a small German town where children keep going missing. Before long, it becomes clear there' sci-fi spookiness afoot, as events start to mirror similar ones that happened 33 years ago. With the first season available, "Dark" is a quick watch that will keep you glued to your seat.
Netflix
"The Orville" (Hulu)

The first season of "The Orville" is all available on Hulu, and anybody itching for a return to old-school "Star Trek" should give it a shot. The show is basically what would happen if regular people served on the U.S.S. Enterprise -- a humorous and accessible take on the "Star Trek" formula, but which still gets what made those series so endearing.
Fox
"The Punisher" (Netflix)

The latest of the Marvel Netflix series follows a former marine who takes down criminals -- and finds himself unwittingly at the center of a conspiracy. "The Punisher" might be the best of the Marvel series so far, balancing the Punisher taking down bad guys and dealing with his own personal demons.
Netflix
“The Night Of” (HBO Go, HBO Now)

HBO’s short miniseries starts with an accusation and a murder, and spirals from there. Naz is a Muslim kid arrested for a murder he can’t remember if he committed, and even before his trial, the situation ripples out to affect everyone even remotely related to him or the crime. It’s a dark and dramatic look into the criminal justice system that goes beyond the usual police procedural.
HBO
“The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” (Netflix)

Looking back into the American zeitgeist of 1994, FX’s drama adaptation of the trial of the century is an enthralling 10 episodes. It’s brilliantly cast and captures the moment, with all its bizarre and upsetting ins and outs, extremely well.
Netflix
“The OA” (Netflix)

Diving deep into the "strange and mysterious serialized show" category is "The OA," about a kidnapped blind woman who returns to her hometown with the ability to see. The series gets even weirder after that, constantly posing mysterious questions about the woman's powers and her kidnapping. The strangeness only escalates, so binge now for a mystery to solve ahead of the show's second season.
Netflix
"Castle Rock" (Hulu)

Part adaptation, part original story, "Castle Rock" takes place in the spooky town that's the setting for many of Stephen King's spookiest stories. "Castle Rock" is still airing new episodes weekly in the first season of the anthology series, but there are enough to make what's available a binge-worthy proposition.
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)

There are actually four seasons' worth of episodes of “Black Mirror” available on Netflix, but at only six episodes each, the series is just contained enough that you can get through the whole thing in a couple of days. It’s worth it, too, as “Black Mirror” puts a “Twilight Zone” twist on modern technology and human relationships.
Netflix
“The Jinx” (HBO Go and HBO Now)

The story of Robert Durst is a strange one, filled with disappearances, murder, dismemberment, and bad disguises. The six-episode documentary miniseries goes through the story of Durst's early life and the disappearance of his wife, through two other deaths, and ends with a possible bombshell break in the case. It's the kind of binge watch material that's hard to pull away from.
HBO
“The Fall” (Netflix)

This British police procedural about a detective hunting a serial killer stars Gillian Anderson of “X-Files” fame and Jamie Dornan of “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Though it covers three total seasons, the shorter series of BBC shows means the grand total is just 17 episodes.
Netflix
“Band of Brothers” (HBO Go and HBO Now)

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced this drama that follows the 101st Airborne through the European Theater in World War II. Intense, personal and powerful, the 10-part series tells the story of the war in a way that few other movies or series have captured.
HBO
“Making a Murderer” (Netflix)

This intensive documentary series covers the story of Steven Avery, who was exonerated of a rape accusation before being arrested for murder. The documentary covers the sorted story of the crime, the investigation, and the prosecution over 10 episodes, raising plenty of questions about whether Avery is guilty along the way.
Netflix
“Crazy Head” (Netflix)

British horror-comedy “Crazy Head” is about two women who can see demons. At first they think they’re crazy — but then they realize the demons are real. Over six episodes, Amy and Raquel battle the forces of evil, making it a funny experience that’s easy to knock out in a hurry.
Netflix
“11.22.63” (Hulu)

Adapting Stephen King’s novel of the same name, “11.22.63” sends James Franco back in time from 2016 to the 1960s. The plan: stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy and rewrite the entire future of America for the better. The entire story is perfect weekend material, covered in just eight episodes.
Hulu
"The Young Pope" (HBO Go, HBO Now)

Jude Law is the first American pope in a dark comedy about religion, authority, politics and backstabbing. "The Young Pope" has its surreal moments as Law's Pius XIII tries to deflect the machinations of the cardinals around him and figure out what to handle being His Holiness.
HBO
"Big Little Lies" (HBO Go, HBO Now)

HBO's scandal- and rumor-fueled dark comedy "Big Little Lies" also became a whodunit as its drama unfolded. With a star-studded cast that includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern, and clocking in at only seven episodes, "Big Little Lies" is a quick, high-quality watch. A second season of the show is on the way, but it probably won't land until 2019, so you've got plenty of time to catch up.
HBO
"The Confession Tapes" (Netflix)

The latest true crime documentary series on Netflix focuses on several cases in which people confessed to crimes they claim they didn't actually commit. Each case will leave viewers wondering if the people in question really are the perpetrators, or if police misconduct, psychological probing and other factors are really to blame for creating false confessions. There are no easy answers, but the questions "The Confession Tapes" raises about the American justice system are definitely interesting ones.
Netflix
"The Keepers" (Netflix)

Another of Netflix's lengthy true crime documentary sets out to try to find the killer of Sister Cathy Cesnick, a Catholic nun and teacher who died in 1969. The show quickly uncovers a sprawling, horrific tale of sexual abuse at a Baltimore Catholic school that might have led to Sister Cathy's murder, and possibly a cover up.
NBC
"The Staircase" (Netflix)

Dig into the story of the murder trial of Michael Peterson, accused of killing his wife Kathleen on the staircase in their house, as the story spans more than a decade. Netflix's new documentary adds three new episodes to the story of the trial, which took place in 2003, and its aftermath, digging into the investigation surrounding Peterson, the trial, and his ultimate fate.
Need more TV to binge? Check out our list of the 20 best Netflix original series that demand your attention.
Or catch up on some of the best shows to ever air on HBO.

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If you’re looking to beat the heat and stay home, settle in with these great streaming shows you can wrap up over the course of a few easy-going days

Labor Day is a great time to hang out with friends and family and do some grilling. It's also a great time to stay in, watch TV, and do absolutely nothing else. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu and Amazon Prime, there are a ton of great shows you can stream while you're avoiding sunlight. Here are 26 that you'll be able to wrap up before heading back to work next week.

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NFL