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How to watch the Duke's Mayo Bowl: North Carolina vs West Virginia
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How to watch the Duke's Mayo Bowl: North Carolina vs West Virginia

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This post was written in partnership with Sling TV.

Led by legendary coach Mack Brown, the North Carolina Tar Heels finished the regular season at 8-4 and will take on West Virginia in the Duke's Mayo Bowl this Wednesday at 2:30 PM ET on ESPN.

Tar Heels games will air on a few different TV channels this season, including ABC and ESPN. If you’re hoping to keep up with the team, you’ll need to have a cable or streaming subscription that includes those networks. Below, we’ll explain which platforms carry these channels so you can weigh your options and pick the best one.

Where to watch North Carolina football

North Carolina will be featured on several channels, including ABC, ACC Network and ESPN. Here’s an overview of which streaming services carry each of these networks.


Sling TV
DIRECTV STREAM
Fubo
Hulu + Live TV
YouTube TV
ABC
✓*




ACC Network





The CW

✓*
✓*


ESPN





*Select markets only

Watch North Carolina football with Sling TV (Our preferred service)

  • Pricing begins at $40.00/mo
  • 31+ live TV channels
  • Free trial currently unavailable

Sling TV has three plans (Sling Orange, Sling Blue and Sling Orange & Blue), which start at $40 per month. Sling Orange has ESPN, while Sling Blue has ABC (in select markets). You’ll need to subscribe to Sling Orange & Blue to get both.

You can watch North Carolina take on West Virginia in the Duke's Mayo Bowl on ESPN, which is included in the Sling Blue plan. 

You can get the ACC Network by signing up for the Sling Orange Sports Extra add-on, which costs an additional $11 per month. This add-on also comes with other sports-focused channels, including beIN SPORTS, ESPNU and SEC Network.

Is Sling TV a good choice for sports fans?

If you’re on a budget, Sling TV offers a cost-effective way to watch certain sports. Depending on where you live and which plan you choose, you may be able to get certain local channels (including ABC, Fox and NBC). Sling Orange comes with ESPN2, ESPN3 and MotorTrend, while Sling Blue has Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and NFL Network. Sling Orange & Blue includes all of these channels, as well as TBS and TNT.

However, if you’re looking for a good selection of regional sports networks (RSNs), Sling TV won’t be a good option. It doesn’t carry Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast or any other RSNs that you need to watch North Carolina pro teams, like the Hornets and Hurricanes.

Regardless, Sling TV is a good option for casual sports fans who don’t want to break the bank to watch big sporting events like the Super Bowl, NBA Finals and Kentucky Derby. Each of these events airs on local channels like ABC and NBC, but you’ll need to make sure that Sling TV carries these channels in your area.


Watch North Carolina football with DIRECTV STREAM

  • Pricing begins at $79.99/mo
  • 75+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

DIRECTV STREAM offers four plans (Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate and Premier), with prices from $79.99 per month. Each one includes ABC and ESPN, as well as The CW in certain markets. You’ll need a Choice, Ultimate or Premier plan to watch the ACC Network (or you can sign up for the Entertainment plan with the DIRECTV Sports Pack add-on).

If you’re looking for premium channels and services, you can bundle your DIRECTV STREAM plan with Max, Peacock, STARZ and more. There are also two sports-centric add-ons: NBA League Pass and the DIRECTV Sports Pack, which comes with channels like NFL Network and CBS Sports Network.

Is DIRECTV STREAM a good choice for sports fans?

DIRECTV STREAM has an impressive offering for sports fans. Not only does it come with local networks (like ABC, CBS and Fox), but it also has plenty of other sports channels, such as the Big Ten Network, Fox Deportes, FS1, Fox Sports 2 (FS2), Golf Channel, MotorTrend and SEC Network.

On top of that, DIRECTV STREAM carries quite a few RSNs. If you live in Charlotte, for example, you’ll get access to Bally Sports South, Bally Sports Southeast and MASN with a Choice plan or higher. With these channels, you can watch teams from North Carolina and nearby states, including the Braves, Hornets, Hurricanes, Nationals and Orioles.

While DIRECTV STREAM plans feature an extensive channel list, one downside is that the service is pricier than many of its competitors. Specifically, the Choice plan (which you need to watch RSNs, ACC Network and other sports channels) starts at $108.99 per month. Still, DIRECTV STREAM is a solid option for all kinds of sports fans – especially baseball and basketball lovers. With a subscription, you can watch key events like the MLB Playoffs, NBA Playoffs, March Madness and more.


Watch North Carolina football with Fubo

  • Pricing begins at $79.99/mo
  • 161+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

With 180+ channels in each of Fubo's three plans (Pro, Elite and Premier), Fubo is another option for watching Tar Heels football this season. Plans start at $79.99 per month, and all of them include ABC, ACC Network and ESPN. 

Even Fubo’s lowest-tier plan has a diverse selection of sports channels, but if you want more, you can bundle your plan with a sports add-on. Some popular options include Sports Plus with NFL RedZone ($10.99 per month), which brings you tons of college and professional football, and Sports Lite ($9.99 per month), which comes with MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network and more.

Is Fubo a good choice for sports fans?

There’s a heavy focus on sports programming at Fubo, which makes it an excellent pick for sports fans of all types. No matter which plan you choose, you’ll get the four major local networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC), which lets you watch college and professional sports all year long. On top of that, you’ll get sports-focused channels like the Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, FS1 and FS2. However, Fubo doesn’t have TBS, TNT or truTV, which could be an issue for serious baseball or basketball fans.

Fubo also offers some of the biggest RSNs in the country, including the Bally Sports and NBC Sports channels. However, availability varies by location. For example, if you live in Raleigh, you’ll get Bally Sports South, but if you’re in Charlotte, you’ll have both Bally Sports South and Bally Sports Southeast. Unfortunately, you’ll need to pay an additional fee (up to $13.99 per month) if you live in an area with RSNs – even if you don’t watch them.

Overall, Fubo is a great match for all sorts of sports fans because it broadcasts the most popular American sports, including football, baseball and basketball. It’s also an interesting choice for international sports fans because its plans include channels like beIN SPORTS and TUDN, and it offers an International Sports Plus add-on – with Fox Deportes, TyC Sports and more – for an extra $6.99 per month.


Watch North Carolina football with Hulu + Live TV

  • Pricing begins at $76.99/mo
  • 95+ live TV channels
  • 3-day free trial

This streaming service carries ABC, ACC Network, The CW and ESPN – all of the channels you need to watch the Tar Heels this season. Hulu + Live TV only offers one plan, which comes with 90+ channels and costs $76.99 per month.

With a Hulu + Live TV subscription, you’ll get access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, as well as Hulu’s extensive library of on-demand shows and movies. You can personalize your plan by signing up for an add-on (like the Sports Add-On or Entertainment Add-On) to get more of the content you love.

Is Hulu + Live TV a good choice for sports fans?

Hulu + Live TV is a good option to watch live sports, depending on what you’re interested in. As a subscriber, you can watch professional and college sports on local networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. You can also tune into sports-focused channels such as Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPNU, FS1, FS2, NFL Network and SEC Network. Similarly, if you enjoy baseball and basketball, you’ll be happy to learn that Hulu + Live TV carries the Turner channels (TBS, TNT and truTV), which broadcast MLB, NBA and NCAA basketball.

With that said, Hulu + Live TV doesn’t have many RSNs. You won’t find the Bally Sports channels on the platform, so if you live in North Carolina and choose this service, you might have to miss out on Hornets and Hurricanes games. However, if you live in an area with an NBC Sports RSN (like Boston or Philadelphia), you can tune into that channel.

We’d recommend Hulu + Live TV to football fans since it includes the major local networks, college conference channels (like the ACC Network) and NFL Network. If you sign up for the Sports Add-On ($9.99 per month), you’ll also get NFL RedZone. With these channels, you can watch regular season and postseason college and pro football – including the Super Bowl and College Football Playoff National Championship.


Watch North Carolina football with YouTube TV

  • Pricing begins at $72.99/mo
  • 100+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

Like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV only has one plan. It costs $72.99 per month and comes with 100+ channels, including ABC, ACC Network, The CW and ESPN. You’ll also get the other major local networks, as well as news, entertainment and sports channels.

YouTube TV lets you upgrade your viewing experience with add-ons, such as 4K Plus ($9.99 per month) and Entertainment Plus ($29.99 per month). There’s also the Sports Plus add-on ($10.99 per month), which lets you watch NFL RedZone and a dozen other sports channels.

Is YouTube TV a good choice for sports fans?

With a YouTube TV subscription, you can watch the most popular U.S. sports on local networks and channels like ESPN and FS1. Other sports-oriented channels on the platform include ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, FS2, Golf Channel, MotorTrend, NBA TV, NFL Network and SEC Network. 

One downside of YouTube TV: There aren’t a ton of RSNs available. Depending on where you live, you’ll have access to your nearest NBC Sports RSN (for example, if you live in San Francisco, you can watch NBC Sports Bay Area). However, you won’t find any Bally Sports channels on YouTube TV.

If you love pro football, YouTube TV is definitely worth considering. Not only can you watch the regular season, playoffs and Super Bowl on the platform, but it’s also the only place to find NFL Sunday Ticket, which provides access to every out-of-market Sunday afternoon NFL game. You can buy NFL Sunday Ticket as a standalone subscription or bundle it with YouTube TV and/or NFL RedZone.


FAQ

How can I watch UNC football without cable?

Signing up for a streaming service is the easiest way to watch UNC football without cable. Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV are three of the top options to watch the Tar Heels this season.

What app do you use for UNC games?

If you have a streaming subscription, you can use the company’s official app to watch UNC games. Or, depending on which channel the game is on, you may be able to use your streaming service credentials to watch the game through the channel’s app.

What is the cheapest way to watch the ACC Network?

The cheapest way to watch the ACC Network is by signing up for Sling Orange and the Sports Extra Add-on. You’ll pay $51 per month for both.

Taylor Freitas is a freelance writer with more than 10 years of professional journalism experience. She has contributed to publications, including LA Weekly, CNET, ZDNET, and Bankrate. She holds a B.A. in Print and Digital Journalism from the University of Southern California.