The 2021-2022 College Basketball season has tipped off and things are heating up tonight on the hardwood with a pair of games from the 2021 State Farm Champions Classic. This year is the 10th anniversary of the Champions Classic, a pair of games between four of the most storied universities in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball history.
Tonight’s event will see a couple of 2018 rematches as the Michigan State Spartans take on the #3 Kansas Jayhawks in what will be both teams’ first game of the season. While game 2 will tip off legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season, as the #9 Blue Devils take on #10 Kentucky.
Tonight’s games are a back-to-back doubleheader at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, in New York, New York. Last year, fans were not in attendance for the Champions Classic, however, they will be in the building this year, but cord cutters can find out how to watch both games below.
2021 State Farm Champions Classic – The Games and Tipoff
| Game | Tipoff | Location | Channel |
| Michigan State Spartans vs. #3 Kansas Jayhawks | 7:00 p.m. ET | Madison Square Garden (New York, NY) | ESPN |
| #9 Duke Blue Devils vs. #10 Kentucky Wildcats | 9:30 p.m. ET | Madison Square Garden (New York, NY) | ESPN |
Tipping-off at 7:00 PM, the Big 12 and the Big Ten will clash when #3 Kansas takes on Michigan State. The Spartans are not ranked heading into the season but Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo will be looking for an upset to start the season. The last time these two schools met in the 2018 Champions Classic, Kansas was victorious, 92-87.
At 9:30 p.m. ET, Coach K and the #9 Blue Devils will take on Coach Cal and the #10 Wildcats in what will be a high-profile ACC-SEC matchup in the Big Apple. Both of these schools are coming off disappointing seasons where they failed to make the NCAA Tournament. With both ranked in the top 10, a loss tonight will be a bad start for someone’s 2021-222 campaign.
How to watch the 2021 State Farm Champions Classic
Cord cutters can watch the 2021 State Farm Champions Classic by subscribing to any streaming service that carries ESPN or by using the Watch ESPN app. Choosing from any of these subscription services below has its benefits because there are no hidden fees, you can cancel anytime with most offering a free trial for new subscribers.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Subscribers to the DIRECTV STREAM can watch the 2021 State Farm Champions Classic on ESPN, and over 65 other channels for only $69.99/month with their Plus package. 500 hours of DVR is included so you won’t miss the highlights from tonight, and you can record your other favorite shows.
- Hulu + Live TV: For only $65/month, Hulu + Live TV gives you access to ESPN, the 2021 Champions Classic, over 65 channels, and access to Hulu’s large library of content including exclusive shows and movies. With 50 hours of Cloud DVR included you’ll be able to record all the dunks, and drama of tonight’s games.
- Vidgo: With a Vidgo subscription, you’ll get 95+ channels, including ESPN for watching tonight’s games, for $55/month. With Vidgo, you can watch on up to three devices simultaneously.
- fuboTV: Perhaps the best sports-orientated streaming service is fuboTV because subscribers can watch ESPN, the 2021 State Farm Champions Classic, over 130 events in 4K, and 110 channels, starting at $64.99/month. 250 hours of Cloud DVR means there is plenty of room to save your favorite events.
- YouTube TV: For $65/month, YouTube TV is a great service for watching ESPN, the 2021 Champions Classic, many more college basketball games, and over 85 other channels. With unlimited Cloud DVR storage, it’s the perfect place to record tonight’s games, sports analyst predictions, games from the upcoming season, and have the ability to come back to it at the season’s end.
- Sling Orange: The Sling Orange package is only $35/month and it includes 10 hours of Cloud DVR storage. Sling is one of the most affordable services to watch and record the 2021 Champions Classic on ESPN, and it comes with over 30 other channels.