How to watch the Florida vs. Charlotte game without cable
It's already week four of the 2023 college football season and the Florida Gators are looking to collect their first three-game win streak since 2020 by securing a victory against the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday. With how heavily the 2-1 Gators are favored in this matchup, it would be quite the upset if the 1-2 49ers came out with the W. The 49ers are coming off a 41-25 loss against the Georgia State Panthers, while the Gators are still reeling from their impressive win against the Tennessee Volunteers last week.
Will the Charlotte 49ers exceed expectations and pull off a huge upset? Here's what you need to know to tune into the action live.
Kickoff time and network
Charlotte takes on Florida at the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 23. The game will not be televised on any cable network — instead, you'll need either SEC Network+ or ESPN+ to tune in. As part of the Southeastern Conference's agreement with ESPN, select SEC football games will be exclusively broadcast on ESPN+ and SEC Network+ this fall. In other words, this won't be the only game that follows this setup, so listen up.
Best streaming services for Florida vs. Charlotte football matchup
If you're a cable user with access to SEC Network, you get complimentary access to SEC Network+ via the ESPN app. If you've recently cut the cord on cable, you can either sign up for a cable replacement service like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or FuboTV to unlock access to SEC Network+ or sign up for ESPN+ for the simultaneous broadcast. It's a bit more complicated than watching most college football games, but we've got you covered with everything you need to know to stream the Florida vs. Charlotte matchup live without cable.
Best for most people: ESPN+
If you don't have cable and don't want to dish out a ton of money to watch this week's matchup between Charlotte and Florida, ESPN+ is your best bet. The game will be simulcast on SEC Network+ as well as ESPN+. You'll get access to the live broadcast Saturday, as well as a handful of other broadcasts this season from ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC, exclusive original series, premium articles, and more. It's also worth noting that the college football playoffs will air on ESPN, so you can keep your subscription for the post-season action as well.
ESPN+ costs $9.99/month or $99.99/year (which saves you 15%), but a price hike goes into effect on Oct. 12. Monthly subscriptions will bump up to $10.99/month and annual subscriptions will jump to $109.99/year. Your best bet to avoid the price hike is to secure a yearly subscription at the current cost before Oct. 12. You can also bundle ESPN+ with Hulu and Disney+ for only $12.99/month, which saves you about 49% overall. However, like ESPN+, the Disney Trio Basic Bundle is also getting a price hike on Oct. 12 and will jump to $14.99/month.
Best cable alternative: YouTube TV (gives you access to SEC Network+)
A live TV streaming service essentially acts as a cable alternative and gives you provider credentials to unlock access to SEC Network+ on the ESPN app. YouTube TV is our favorite option for its massive channel library, unlimited DVR space, six household accounts, and up to three simultaneous streams. Not only will you be able to stream the Charlotte vs. Florida game live on SEC Network+, but also many other college football games throughout the season on ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, SEC Network, The CW, and more.
You can watch for 20 minutes with no commitment, then launch a free trial, which is generally about 10 days, but often up to 14 (it varies per person). Yes, you can access the SEC Network+ via ESPN app using your free trial. If you choose to keep your subscription after the trial ends, YouTube TV is offering an introductory rate of $54.99/month for three months ($72.99/month thereafter).
Runner-up live TV streaming service: FuboTV (gives you access to SEC Network+)
Similar to YouTube TV, FuboTV offers an alternative to cable that gives you provider credentials to unlock the SEC Network+ broadcast of the Charlotte vs. Florida game on the ESPN app. FuboTV also offers an even more comprehensive channel lineup than YouTube TV — which includes ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and more. It lets you test the waters for seven days before charging you the monthly rate which, is currently $74.99/month for the Pro tier or $84.99/month for the Elite tier. Fortunately, you can use your login credentials to access the Charlotte vs. Florida game on the ESPN app while you're on the free trial. Be sure to cancel before your seven days are up to avoid charges.
Honorable mentions
Other live TV streaming services that offer provider credentials to access the SEC Network+ broadcast of the Charlotte vs. Florida game include:
Sling TV Orange + Sports Extra — $31/month for your first month, then $51/month
Hulu + Live TV — $49.99/month for your first three months, then $69.99/month
DirecTV Stream Choice package — $89.99/month for three months, then $99.99/month
75" Hisense U6 Series 4K Mini-LED QLED Smart TV (2025 Model) — $549.99 (List Price $1299.99)
75" TCL T7 Series 4K QLED 144Hz Smart TV (2025 Model) — $629.99 (List Price $899.99)
55" Hisense CanvasTV Series 4K QLED Smart TV (2024 Model) — $599.99 (List Price $999.99)
55" Samsung OLED S95F 4K Glare Free Smart TV (2025 Model) — $1,799.99 (List Price $2197.99)
77" LG C5 Series OLED Evo AI 4K Smart TV (2025 Model) — $2,196.99 (List Price $3696.99)
Frequently Asked Questions
If you're confused about how to access SEC Network+, we totally get it. It's not a standalone streaming service like you may think. Instead, it can be accessed through the ESPN app. When you open up the app and choose the Charlotte vs. Florida game, there will be a couple of different broadcasts listed: SEC Network+ and ESPN+. If you have a cable or cable replacement login, choose the SEC Network+ broadcast, choose your provider (YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling, etc.), then enter your login credentials to unlock the broadcast. If not, you'll have to choose the ESPN+ broadcast and sign up for an ESPN+ subscription separately.
Christina Buff is a Nashville-based freelance writer for who covers shopping with a splash of entertainment. If you’re ever wondering what streaming service you need to watch something (and the cheapest way to sign up for it), she’s your girl.
Christina received a B.S. in Business Communication (concentration in writing) from Stevenson University and began her professional journey writing and editing press releases. Since then, she’s written content for a marketing agency, blogged for celebrities, and covered local news, politics, women’s lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and just about everything in between for various publications.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably enjoying live music, studying human design, or embroidering and upcycling clothes. You can follow her on Instagram at @touchinfinity.
