Finding the right channel for Ohio State football game broadcasts has become a bit of a scavenger hunt lately. Honestly, if you feel like you need a Ph.D. in media rights just to watch a kickoff, you aren't alone. Between the massive Big Ten expansion and the way the new TV deals are structured, the days of just "flipping to the local station" are mostly over.
The Buckeyes just finished a wild 2025 campaign that ended in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl. If you were looking for that specific game against Miami, it was an ESPN exclusive. But as we look toward the 2026 season and the current rotation, things get even more fragmented.
Where to Find the Buckeyes on Your Dial
Basically, the Big Ten has a "Big Three" partnership now. You've got FOX, CBS, and NBC all sharing the pie.
FOX usually snags the "Big Noon Kickoff" slot. This is where you’ll find the absolute biggest games, including the annual showdown against Michigan. If Ohio State is playing at noon, there is a roughly 90% chance you need to find FOX.
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Then you have the afternoon window. CBS took over the 3:30 p.m. ET slot that used to belong to the SEC. It’s weird seeing the Big Ten logo on a channel we associated with Gary Danielson and Alabama for twenty years, but that's the reality. If it’s a mid-afternoon kick, check your local CBS affiliate.
Finally, there’s the primetime "Big Ten Saturday Night" on NBC. These games usually start around 7:30 p.m. ET. They are high-production, loud, and usually reserved for games under the lights at the Shoe or tough road trips to places like Penn State.
The Streaming Curveball: Peacock and BTN
Now, this is where people get annoyed. Every season, a couple of games are tucked away exclusively on Peacock. You can’t get these with an antenna. You can't get them with standard cable. You have to pay for the app. Typically, these are the "lower-tier" non-conference games—think Grambling State or a mid-level MAC opponent—but occasionally a conference game like Ohio or Northwestern slides over there too.
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Don't forget the Big Ten Network (BTN). This is still the workhorse for the conference. They carry a huge volume of games that don't make the cut for the national "over-the-air" networks.
How to Stream the Ohio State Football Game Without Cable
If you’ve cut the cord, you have options, but they aren’t exactly cheap anymore. Most people I know use one of these:
- Fubo: Probably the best for sports junkies because it carries local channels (FOX, CBS, NBC) plus BTN and FS1.
- YouTube TV: Very reliable. It has the "Key Plays" feature which is great if you join the game late and want to see how the Buckeyes scored their first touchdown.
- Hulu + Live TV: Includes ESPN+ usually, which is a nice bonus, though Ohio State games rarely end up on ESPN+ (those are usually reserved for the smaller conferences).
- Sling TV: A bit of a gamble. You have to make sure you have the right "Blue" or "Orange" package to get the channels you need. Often, it lacks one of the major locals depending on where you live.
A quick pro-tip: if the game is on FOX or NBC, you can sometimes use the FOX Sports app or the NBC app to watch for free if you have a friend's cable login. Kinda shady? Maybe. Does it work? Usually.
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Why the Channel Changes Every Single Week
You've probably noticed that we often don't know the channel for Ohio State football game kickoffs until six to twelve days before the event. This is because of the "selection draft."
The networks literally have a draft. FOX gets the first pick most weeks (thanks to their massive contract), then CBS and NBC battle for the remaining top-tier matchups. If the Buckeyes are playing a "trap game" against a bottom-dweller, the big networks might pass, and the game "falls" to BTN.
Watch Out for the 2026 Schedule Shifts
With the 18-team Big Ten (yes, it still feels weird saying that), we are seeing more West Coast trips. When Ohio State heads to Oregon, USC, or UCLA, the kickoff times can get funky. A 7:30 p.m. start in Los Angeles means you're staying up until nearly midnight on the East Coast.
Actionable Steps for the Next Game Day
To make sure you don't miss a single snap, do this:
- Check the 12-day window: On the Monday two weeks before the game, the Big Ten usually announces the "network window." Bookmark the official Ohio State Buckeyes schedule page; it’s the only place that doesn't post "rumors."
- Verify your Peacock sub: If the game is labeled as a Peacock exclusive, don't wait until 5 minutes before kickoff to sign up. Their verification emails can sometimes lag when 500,000 Buckeyes fans all try to join at once.
- Antenna check: If you are in Columbus or a major Ohio city, a $20 digital antenna will get you FOX, ABC, CBS, and NBC for free in HD. It’s actually a higher-quality signal than compressed cable or streaming.
- Listen to 97.1 The Fan: If you're stuck in the car or the stream is buffering, the radio call is classic. Paul Keels is a legend for a reason.
The landscape is shifting, and by the time the 2026 season fully kicks off, we might even see more games landing on platforms like Amazon Prime. For now, keep your remote handy and your streaming apps updated. Go Bucks.