How to Watch the Alabama vs. South Carolina Game: Live Stream College Football

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The Alabama Crimson Tide have rolled through their first two opponents this season in their quest to recapture college football's national title. But the Southeastern Conference is full of pitfalls, and the Tide's conference opener away against the South Carolina Gamecocks figures to be a tough test.

Can South Carolina pull off the upset? We'll find out when the two teams kick off later today (Sept. 14). And if you're planning to watch the Alabama vs. South Carolina game, you've got plenty of options, even if you're nowhere near a TV set.

Here's how to watch the Alabama vs. South Carolina live stream, including options for using a VPN if you're out of the country when the Crimson Tide take on the Gamecocks.

When can I watch the Alabama vs. South Carolina game?

The Alabama vs. South Carolina game kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. Because this is an SEC game, CBS will handle the coverage. The good news is, if you're near a TV set, all you need is an HDTV antenna to pick up your local CBS affiliate.

How can I use a VPN to watch the Alabama vs. South Carolina game?

If you're away this weekend when the Crimson Tide battle the Gamecocks, don't despair. You can still watch the Alabama vs. South Carolina game, though you may want to turn to a virtual private network, or VPN, to help you do it. VPNs can make it seem as if you're surfing the web from your home country, which gives you access to the same streaming services you'd have back there.

We've tested lots of services, and our pick for the best overall VPN is ExpressVPN. It offers the best mix of performance and customer support, and it's very easy to use. But other VPN options are available, so here's what we'd suggest if you're itching to watch college football during your travels.

ExpressVPN:

ExpressVPN: Express VPN can access more than 3,000 servers spread out across 160 locations in 94 countries. The service performed reliably in our testing, and we found customer service responsive.

One month of ExpressVPN costs $12.95, but you can lower that to $6.67 a month if you opt for a year of service; ExpressVPN will throw in three additional months for free. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied.


NordVPN:

NordVPN: Go with NordVPN if the privacy part of a VPN appeals to you. NordVPN uses 2084-bit encryption, and it also happens to work well with streaming services. NordVPN costs $11.95 per month, you can cut that down to $2.99 per month if you sign up for a multi-year service plan.

TunnelBear:

TunnelBear: TunnelBear didn't turn in the best performance in our test, but it's still a good option for one-off events like streaming the Alabama vs. South Carolina game. For starters, it's easy to use, and the monthly cost is relatively low at $9.99.

How can I watch the Alabama vs. South Carolina game?

The CBS Sports website includes a section that live streams the network's SEC game of the week. The mobile CBS Sports App (Android, iPhone) also picks up CBS's SEC coverage. You will need to sign in with the login info from your cable or satellite TV provider so this live-streaming option isn't ideal if you've cut the cord on cable TV.

How can I live stream the Alabama vs. South Carolina game if I don't subscribe to cable?

If you've given up on cable, you can still stream live sports. You'll just need to find a streaming service that carries events you're interested in, such as the Alabama vs. South Carolina game.

Fortunately, CBS provides its own streaming service. CBS All Access costs $5.99 a month — a version without commercials ups the monthly cost to $9.99 — and you get access to the network's live sports coverage in addition to its library of shows and original programs.

If you're looking for a streaming service that brings you more than just one network, though, there are other options. Just make sure they include the CBS affiliate in your area, as not all local channels are supported by some services.

AT&T Now:

AT&T Now: The service formerly known as DirecTV starts at $50 a month, and this Plus package includes CBS.

Fubo.TV:

Fubo.TV: A streaming service with a focus on live sports, Fubo.TV starts at $55 a month and includes CBS among its channels. A cloud DVR feature lets you record games like Alabama vs. South Carolina to watch later.

Hulu + Live TV:

Hulu + Live TV: Hulu's $45 monthly package includes CBSN in its live streaming service. As with Fubo.TV, there's a cloud DVR feature for recording programs to watch later.

PlayStation Vue:

PlayStation Vue: The streaming service's entry-level Access package starts at $50 a month, and includes CBS. More sports channels are included in the next tier, which costs $55 a month.

YouTube TV:

YouTube TV: You'll find CBS among the 70-plus channels YouTube TV includes for $50 a month. And YouTube TV is another streaming service that boasts a cloud DVR feature.

Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.