How to Watch: LSU vs. Alabama (without YouTube TV)

The debut for LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson kicks off on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, and many Tigers fans are having to change how they watch.

More than a week after Disney networks went dark on YouTube TV, the two sides do not appear close to a new carriage deal.

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand first reported the two sides “remain far apart” on a deal as of Friday morning. In a memo to Disney employees obtained by On3, executives indicated the blackout was likely to continue into the weekend.

With LSU and Alabama slated for ABC’s primetime slot, Tigers fans with YouTube TV will need to pivot.

How to Watch the LSU game (if you have YouTube TV)

If you are one of YouTube TV’s 10+ million customers, here are other options to watch have LSU and all of college football’s best matchups on Saturday.

• Fubo – Offers a free trial for new members, as well as ESPN and ABC. Plans start at $55 per month for the first month after the free trial expires.
• Sling TV – Offers a Day Pass for $4.99, which includes ESPN. The “Orange and Blue” plan is currently listed at $29.99 with local channels, including ABC, in addition to ESPN networks where available.
• DirecTV – Offers a 5-day free trial with ABC and ESPN included. Plans start at $49.99 for the first month after the free trial expires.
• ESPN Unlimited – ESPN’s direct-to-consumer app launched earlier this year, fans can watch every ESPN network, including live games. Plans start at $29.99 per month.

More details as the dispute continues

The carriage deal between Disney and YouTube TV expired Oct. 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. However, the networks went dark at approx. 11:27 p.m. ET that night – prior to the deal’s expiration. The blackout then continued through Week 10 of the college football season, as well as Monday Night Football between the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys.

While ABC still had the most-watched college football game of Week 10 with an average 7.8 million people tuning in for Georgia’s win over Florida, FOX won the Noon ET window. Ohio State’s win over Penn State averaged 7.2 million viewers.

Monday Night Football also saw a ratings decrease from Week 9 of the NFL season a year ago. The matchup between the Cowboys and Cardinals averaged 16.2 million viewers. That’s a roughly 20% decrease from last year’s Week 9 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.