As the clock struck midnight for Halloween, the scariest nightmare became possible that some Oklahoma fans could be unable to watch most college football games this weekend, including the No. 18 Sooners at No. 14 Tennessee at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday on ABC.
Disney, which owns the likes of ABC, ESPN, SEC Network and more, did not reach a deal with Google’s YouTube TV, so all channels owned by Disney will no longer be available on YouTube TV until a new deal is reached. The deal officially expired at 11:59 p.m. ET Thursday as many college football fans throughout the country were still watching the end of Tulane-UTSA on ESPN.
Some OU fans in danger of missing Sooners' next game vs Tennessee amid YouTube TV and Disney dispute
There will likely be enough of a commotion and money lost on both sides for an agreement to be forced soon, but if not, the Sooners not only play on ABC on Saturday, but every OU game for the rest of the season, including the postseason, will be on a Disney-owned channel.
OU is included with the SEC’s broadcast deal with ESPN, which is the biggest breadwinner as nine of the 10 most-watched college football teams this season, including the Sooners, come from the SEC and play on ESPN networks. Without Disney, YouTube TV is stuck with Big Noon on FOX and no SEC football or even the Big 12’s biggest game of the week.
A deal was expected to be made before Disney channels ever actually went off air. ESPN networks aired ads throughout college football games and more last week to brace fans for the possibility and also encourage viewers to take action by calling YouTube TV. ESPN personalities even posted about it on social media throughout the day on Thursday. Usually by that point, one side caves and an agreement is made.
If you're a YouTube TV customer, you may lose access to ESPN's networks, including CFB, NFL and NBA games on ESPN and ABC. Go to https://t.co/7Rt52TtDUR now so you don't miss out. pic.twitter.com/pedTniPUUE
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) October 30, 2025
“Unfortunately, Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deny their subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC,” Disney said in a statement. “Without a new agreement in place, their subscribers will not have access to our programming which includes the best lineup in live sports – anchored by the NFL, NBA, and college football, with 13 of the top 25 college teams playing this weekend.
“With a $3 trillion market cap, Google is using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we’ve successfully negotiated with every other distributor. We know how frustrating this is for YouTube TV subscribers and remain committed to working toward a resolution as quickly as possible.”
In response to the crisis, YouTube TV announced it will offer a $20 credit to customers if the blackout occurs for “an extended period,” however long that might be considered by the company.
Now is the perfect time, though, to remind you that you can try a free trial for FuboTV by clicking here, and not miss any college football this weekend.