DIRECTV is our top pick for watching college football live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus many of the other channels you’ll need for the College Football Playoff). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

The Sugar Bowl 2026 airs on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. If you’ve cut the cord or never had cable to begin with, streaming services that carry ESPN make it easy to watch with free trial options.

Here's how you can tune into Georgia vs. Ole Miss on the radio with broadcast channel and start time for the Sugar Bowl game.