College football will be in full swing this weekend with a number of high-profile games headlining Week 1 of the season, but there’s a real chance that YouTube TV subscribers could miss the biggest game of the week.
The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes are set to host the No. 1 Texas Longhorns on Saturday afternoon in a rematch of their dramatic College Football Playoff semifinal matchup back in January.
It’s undoubtedly the biggest college football game of the weekend and might go down as one of the top games of the entire season. But there’s a chance that YouTube TV subscribers won’t get to see it.
YouTube TV Faces Dispute With Fox
On Monday afternoon, YouTube TV issued a statement announcing that it was in the midst of negotiations with Fox for a new contract and that the negotiations had reached a bit of an impasse.
“At YouTube TV, our goal is to provide the best in live sports, news and entertainment. A key part of that commitment is our partnership with content providers like Fox, which allows us to carry a wide variety of channels,” YouTube TV wrote in a statement on Monday.
“Our current agreement with Fox is approaching its renewal date and we are in active and ongoing negotiations to continue carrying their content. Fox is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive. Our priority is to reach a deal that reflects the value of their content and is fair for both sides without passing on additional costs to our subscribers.”
Subscribers Could Miss Games
YouTube TV announced that, unless it strikes a deal before Wednesday at 5:00 p.m., Fox and its affiliated networks, including FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network, would become unavailable to subscribers.
“We want to be transparent about these discussions: if we are unable to reach a new agreement by 5:00 PM ET on August 27, 2025, Fox channels including Fox Sports, Business, and News would become unavailable on YouTube TV. Content from these channels saved in your library would also become unavailable at this time,” YouTube TV announced in its statement.
It’s not clear when the two sides would need to reach an agreement that would prevent a blackout of college football games on Saturday, but it seems likely that the two sides would continue negotiations even after the Wednesday deadline.
Streaming Alternatives
If YouTube TV and Fox are unable to strike a deal before Saturday’s games, fans will be forced to find alternative ways to watch Saturday’s high-profile college football matchups.
One option would be for fans to subscribe to FOX One. While the service does cost $19.99 per month, it is currently offering a seven-day free trial, which would allow fans to watch Saturday’s game at no cost.
Another option would be to take an old-fashioned approach and use an over-the-air antenna to watch the game.
What Happens if the Blackout Continues?
While FOX One or an over-the-air antenna might be short-term solutions, fans will likely have to find other streaming options if the carriage dispute continues past this weekend, like other streaming services or a cable subscription.
If the contract dispute persists another two weeks, fans risk missing out on NFL action, as well.
YouTube TV has announced that it would provide its customers with a $10 credit if Fox content was unavailable for “an extended period of time.”
