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Armed Forces Bowl: Ways to Watch on ABC Without Cable [Schedule + Streaming Options]
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Written by Frank Moraes Senior Content Editor
I’ll be tuning in to the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday, December 23 at 3:30 pm, as James Madison takes on Air Force at the Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. Since ABC is broadcasting the game, I can watch it online even without a cable subscription.
If you’re new to streaming, keep reading to learn more.
In a hurry? Check out these streaming services if you don’t want the details and want to do a test stream run before December 23:
Watch Live Tonight
All three services carry . Pick based on your budget:
Lowest Price
Carries from $45.99/mo – roughly half the price of Fubo. Add channel packs if you want more. The lowest-cost route for , if you are happy with a smaller bundle.
Most Channels
90+ channels including – the closest thing to full cable without a contract. 5-day free trial, then from $84.99/mo.
Away from home? If your content is blocked, a VPN helps you keep streaming. Our top pick is ExpressVPN.
The Armed Forces Bowl started in 2003 as the Fort Worth Bowl. It took on its current name in 2006. It is a fine example of a top quality postseason college football bowl game — more often than not a close contest between two well-matched teams. Nine of the 19 games have ended with less than a touchdown score difference.
We’ve gathered details on all of the streaming services that you can use to watch the Armed Forces Bowl live stream. Not only that, but we have all the game details you need, too. Everything is right here in the following sections.
By the end of the article, you should be ready to sign up for a streaming service and watch the Armed Forces Bowl online without cable.
Armed Forces Bowl Schedule
The Armed Forces Bowl takes place at the Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of the earliest in the schedule, occurring on Thursday, December 23rd with a kickoff at 3:30 pm.
- Date: Dec 23, 2023 3:30 pm EST
- Channel: ABC
- Teams: James Madison (21) vs Air Force (31)
- Last Year’s Results: Baylor (15) vs Air Force (30)
Once upon a time, you needed cable to watch ABC. Now several streaming services will give you access to ABC and the 2023 Armed Forces Bowl live stream, legally. Signup is easy and you can get set up in minutes.
How to Watch the Armed Forces Bowl Online
If you’re watching for the first time, you should know that two of the more popular streaming services that you can use to watch ABC are Fubo and DIRECTV. We recommend these services because they are easy to use, inexpensive, and offer some room for customization. That said, you’ll learn about all of the services you can use to watch the Armed Forces Bowl online.
More and more people are making the switch from streaming because of all of the pros that come with it. Streaming services offer a similar, but cheaper service. You can watch TV from anywhere with an internet connection on several devices. There’s also the fact that you’re not stuck in a contract, so you have the freedom to cancel when you want.
If you want to watch the Armed Forces Bowl live stream with a streaming device, you’ll have plenty of options. You can stream using mobile phones and tablets, smart TVs, computers, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, gaming consoles, Amazon Fire TV, and other devices.
Watch the Armed Forces Bowl Without Cable on Fubo
Fubo (formerly FuboTV) is a great general streaming service for sports fans. Over 150 channels for $79.99/month. A third of its live channels are sports oriented, so you are covered on all sports. The base plan offers ESPN and ESPN2 and local channels.
Fubo highlights:
- ESPN is included in the 150+ live channels in the base package
- Base package is $79.99/month
- stream on 10 devices all together
- a generous unlimited cloud DVR
- Watch Fubo on web browsers, Roku, Samsung TV, Hisense TV, Chromecast, and more
Read our Fubo review.
Stream the Armed Forces Bowl on DIRECTV
DIRECTV’s basic package is $84.99/month and offers ESPN, TNT, USA, and 75+ other live channels. The upper-tier Choice plan also gets you regional sports networks for $20 per month extra.
For more details on DIRECTV:
- 75+ live channels in the base package
- Local channels are available
- ESPN and ESPN2 are included in the base package. ESPNU and ESPNNews are available in the Choice plan
- Unlimited cloud DVR for those who sign up online
- Streaming on unlimited devices
- Watch ESPN on mobile devices, Roku, Chromecast, web browsers, etc
You’ll be able to read more in our DIRECTV review.
Watch the Armed Forces Bowl Without Cable on Sling TV
Sling TV is a popular choice because it’s one of the cheapest packages you can find that offers sports coverage without cable. Sling Orange is the package you’ll want as it offers ESPN.
30+ other channels are included in this package, too. Plans start at $45.99/month. You’ll have an on-demand library and a small amount of DVR storage. Check out more details on Sling TV:
- $45.99/month for Sling Orange
- ESPN3 and 30+ channels are included
- Shows in ABC also air on ESPN3
- Plenty of room for package customization
- Stream through Sling TV or on TV Everywhere apps
- Sling TV is the lowest price when it comes to watching college football without cable
- Roku, iOS/Android, Fire TV, computers, and more are compatible
- Sling TV Bowl Game Guide
Our Sling TV review has more details.
Stream the Armed Forces Bowl on Hulu Live
Hulu + Live TV makes a great choice for cable replacement. You can stream more than 85 channels and Hulu on-demand for $82.99/month. This means you’ll have thousands of hours of on-demand content plus all of your live coverage.
Start Hulu + Live TV Free Trial ↗︎
ESPN is included, so you’ll get to watch the majority of bowl games along with many other sporting events. A cloud DVR is also included, in case you should need it.
Here are other Hulu Live highlights:
- More than 85 channels
- NBC, ABC, Fox, and CBS
- Hulu on-demand is included offering a massive amount of content
- Unlimited cloud-DVR (9 month storage)
- $82.99/month with no contracts
- Watch on mobile devices, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, etc.
You can check out our Hulu + Live TV review to learn more.
More Ways to Stream the Armed Forces Bowl
You’ve heard about a couple of great ways to watch ESPN without cable. Of course, ESPN is available on more services than FuboTV, DIRECTV, Hulu Live and Sling TV. Here are the other ways you can watch the Armed Forces Bowl live stream without cable:
- YouTube TV: ESPN and over 100 live channels are included with an unlimited cloud-DVR. This package is available for $82.99/month.
James Madison Dukes vs Air Force Falcons
The 2023 Armed Forces Bowl pits James Madison of the Sun Belt Conference with Air Force of the Mountain West Conference. The Dukes had a great season with an 11-1 (7-1 in-conference) record, losing only once in overtime to Appalachian State. Despite having the best record in the conference, the Dukes were ineligible for the championship because of their transition from FCS (Division I-AA) to FBS (Division I-A).
The Falcons also had a good season but not as good as their previous two. They ended with an 8-4 record. This left them in fourth place in the MWC — mostly due to their 5-3 in-conference record.
James Madison Dukes Personnel
Curt Cignetti just ended his fifth season as the head coach of the Dukes. He is moving on to the University of Indiana. Assistant head coach Damian Wroblewski will take over for him against the Falcons. Supporting him are offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines.
The Dukes offense is led by 2023 Sun Belt player of the year, quarterback Jordan McCloud. With him are running backs Kaelon Black and Ty Son Lawton, wide receivers Elijah Sarratt, Reggie Brown, and Phoenix Sproles, and tight end Zach Horton.
The defense features linebackers Aiden Fisher and Jailin Walker, defensive backs D’Angelo Ponds, Chauncey Logan, Jacob Thomas, and Devyn Coles, and linemen Jalen Green, Jamree Kromah, Mikail Kamara, and James Carpenter.
Air Force Falcons Personnel
Troy Calhoun is in his 17th season as head coach of the Falcons. He has an overall record of 129–82 (in-conference 77–54). With him are his longtime offensive coordinator Mike Thiessen and defensive coordinator Brian Knorr.
Quarterback Zac Larrier leads the offense with fullback Emmanuel Michel, running backs John Lee Eldridge III, Dylan Carson, and Owen Burk, wide receivers Jared Roznos, Cade Harris, and Brandon Engel, and tight end Caleb Rillos.
On defense are linebackers Alec Mock, Johnathan Youngblood, Bo Richter, and PJ Ramsey, defensive backs Jayden Goodwin, Jamari Bellamy, Trey Williams, and Trey Taylor, and linemen Payton Zdroik, Jayden Thiergood, James Tomasi, and Kupono Blake.
Our Choice
When it comes to watching the Armed Forces Bowl on ABC, Fubo really came through as the top pick. It’s got a massive lineup of 150+ channels, so you’re covered for way more than just the game. The streaming quality is smooth and reliable, and the unlimited cloud DVR means you can record and catch up whenever it works for you. It’s super easy to use, and since it works on so many devices, you’re not tied to one screen. Fubo’s mix of sports-first features and all-around value made it the clear winner for football fans.
Update history
This page was revised 7 times between December 2021 and April 2023.
Updated some sub-sections. Updated some section headings. Added links.
Added buttons for streaming services. Added some links. Various changes. Changes to formatting.
Added FAQ section. Added new section. Added links to streaming services. Added some more links. Pricing updates. Formatting.
Added links to streaming services. Added buttons for streaming services. Added some links. Formatting. Changed a few bits of content.
Added buttons for streaming services. Updated some sub-sections. Pricing updates. Image changes.
Pricing updates. Image changes. Added some links.
Changed some content in main section. Updated one section.
Frank was the Senior Content Editor at Hotdog.com and an expert in sports streaming, specializing in out-of-market games and regional sports networks.
A passionate cord-cutter and longtime subscriber to numerous streaming services, Frank has first-hand experience navigating the complexities of sports streaming.
With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute and a professional background in early streaming technology, Frank combines deep technical insight with practical, real-world knowledge.
His mission at Hotdog.com was straightforward: help sports fans get hassle-free access to the games they love, at the best price, without frustration.
A passionate cord-cutter and longtime subscriber to numerous streaming services, Frank has first-hand experience navigating the complexities of sports streaming.
With a PhD in Atmospheric Physics from the Oregon Graduate Institute and a professional background in early streaming technology, Frank combines deep technical insight with practical, real-world knowledge.
His mission at Hotdog.com was straightforward: help sports fans get hassle-free access to the games they love, at the best price, without frustration.
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