IT General

As much as I would love to say I've fully converted to physical media, most of my music listening still happens on my phone. But I really enjoy sitting in my den and listening to my turntable and cassette deck. Combining those two experiences was easier than I thought.

As the leaves start to turn and the days draw shorter, now is a great time to curl up on the sofa with horror films and hot drinks. But entertainment and liquid sugar can only get you so far; to really relax into fall, you also need the right ambiance.

The best stocking stuffers should surprise and delight, but too often, we miss the mark. Think: tacky socks, bulk chocolate candy from the clearance aisle, and ChapStick. Most of these last-minute gift ideas are just begging to be tossed in a junk drawer or the donation pile, never to see the light of day again. Granted, it's a fate they probably deserve.

But that's a shame, because unpacking your stocking should be the perfect start to the happiest day of the year. So, we consulted our deep bench of shopping reporters, deal hunters, and product reviewers to find out what stocking stuffers they want to wake up to on Christmas morning.

We've gathered our favorite tiny-but-impressive gift ideas that can work for everyone on your holiday shopping list. So, whether you're searching for stocking stuffer ideas under $25 or something fancier that will catch them by surprise, we have more than 60 unique gifts to inspire you.

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 3-day free trial, then $199.99/year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 5-day free trial, then $63.99/month for 1 month (save $25) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Orange & Blue $60.99/month Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 5 months (save $110) Shop Now

The Wisconsin Badgers are looking to score a major win over the UCLA Bruins in Week 7. Wisconsin are 4-1 overall at 2-0 in conference play, but they still haven't made the rankings. A win over No. 12 UCLA could change that.

UCLA will prove tough competition in this Big Ten showdown. The Bruins are 5-1 overall and 3-0 in conference games, and want to climb beyond that No. 12 spot in the rankings. With both Wisconsin and UCLA on winning streaks, this promises to be an exciting clash.

If you want to watch Wisconsin vs. UCLA for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Wisconsin vs. UCLA?

Wisconsin vs. UCLA takes place at 7.30 p.m. ET on Oct. 17. This game takes place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Wisconsin vs. UCLA is broadcast on NBC.

How to watch college football in 2026

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $31.99 per month, but for an extra $4 per month you can secure a plan that also includes Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99/year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $38.89 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a three-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers more than 250 live TV channels and lets you watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a five-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters with a trial before you make any commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $99.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). Plus, the first month will only cost $49.99.

The included ESPN+ access provides bonus coverage of even more college football games, in addition to live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $60.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sports streaming service that offers a wide range of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue package gives you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, plus ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Wisconsin vs. UCLA from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Wisconsin vs. UCLA from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Wisconsin vs. UCLA from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best smartwatches make it easy to monitor your health, track your workout progress, and check your notifications on the go. Top brands like Apple, Garmin, Google, and Samsung have all launched new smartwatches in recent months, so whether you're team Apple or team Android, you have excellent choices for your wrist. Now that we've researched the biggest releases, tested a handful of them ourselves, and drawn upon the expertise of our Ziff Davis colleagues at CNET and PCMag to fill in the gaps, we're ready to name the best smartwatches of 2026. Spoiler: You really can't go wrong with any of the latest flagship models.

The best smartwatches at a glance: Best smartwatch for most iPhone users Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm) $389.99 at Amazon Shop Now Best budget smartwatch for iPhone users Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) $219.00 at Walmart Shop Now Best Android smartwatch Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Bluetooth/WiFi) $399.99 at Amazon Shop Now Best budget Android smartwatch Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro $79.00 at Amazon Shop Now Best Samsung smartwatch Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, Bluetooth) $379.99 at Amazon Shop Now The smartwatch market is crowded, and that's good news Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

In just the past few months, Samsung, Apple, Garmin, and Google have all rolled out new smartwatches. Later this month, Google will also debut the brand-new Fitbit Edge with a bright display and advanced fitness features. (The Venn diagram of the best smartwatches and the best fitness trackers is basically a perfect circle.) The competition intensifies when you factor in other wearables like smart rings and sleep trackers.

Price-wise, most of our favorite smartwatches cost somewhere between $250 and $400, though they're often on sale for much less. However, you don't have to spend very much to get a kick-ass smartwatch. In fact, we have an excellent option for folks with budgets capped at $100.

So, which watches deserve a spot on your wrist? (Say that five times fast.) Here's our definitive guide to the best smartwatches for 2026 shoppers.

The best smartwatch for iPhone users: Apple Watch Series 12 Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

If you're an iPhone user, we think you'll be very happy with Apple's latest smartwatch, the Series 12. Mashable's Stan Schroeder is in the process of testing it right now, and he said that while it may look similar to last year's model — other than some new ceramic case options — "it does bring a number of big improvements inside."

The Series 12 has a new S11 chip that adds support for Audio Intelligence tools. Moreover, it boasts "an entirely new electrical and optical heart sensor," and offers more battery life during workouts (plus faster charging), Schroeder said. He added, "The star of the show is the heart sensor array, which allows for far more frequent measurements and opens the door for new apps such as Readiness and an overhauled Vitals app."

It's worth pointing out that the Apple Watch Series 12's chip and sensors are the exact same ones you'll find inside the rugged Apple Watch Ultra 4, which costs twice as much. The Ultra 4 is awesome in its own right, especially if you prioritize battery life and durability, but this means you don't need to splash out on Apple's most expensive smartwatch to use its most advanced features. The mid-tier option has never been a smarter buy or a more worthwhile upgrade from an older model.

Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm) $389.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Walmart The best budget smartwatch for iPhone users: Apple Watch SE 3 Credit: Apple

Apple hasn't updated its cheapest wearable for 2026, but we're not complaining. Last year's Apple Watch SE 3 is still an outstanding budget pick with all the necessary features you're probably looking for in a smartwatch, like a gorgeous always-on OLED display, heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, gesture controls, and a water-resistant design. (For all intents and purposes, it's a last-gen Series 11 with a shorter battery life and no blood oxygen monitoring.) The new Series 12 is the "better" iOS-friendly smartwatch overall, but it's obviously much pricier and might be considered overkill if you're not especially health-conscious.

CNET's wearable expert Vanessa Hand Orellana tested the SE 3 and deemed it a great option "for anyone new to the Apple Watch world or upgrading from a much older model (think Series 6 or earlier)." It would also make a good starter device for a kid, she noted, letting parents "hold off on a full-fledged smartphone while maintaining a direct line of communication with their child."

The extra-nice thing about the SE 3 is it's much easier to find on sale than Apple's newest smartwatches, since it's technically an "older" model. It's regularly marked down to $219 these days, and on Black Friday, we expect it to dip under $200.

Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) $219 at Walmart
$249 Save $30   Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy The best Android smartwatch for most people: Google Pixel Watch 5 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Former Mashable senior reporter and marathon runner Christianna Silva gave the Google Pixel Watch 4 a 4.4/5 rating last year, calling it "a true runner's watch." They loved its immersive display, clear audio, repairable design, custom workouts, and "solid" battery life. It used to be our favorite Android smartwatch — until Google released the Pixel Watch 5 this summer. It justifies a $50 price bump with a faster processor, double the storage, improved GPS route tracking, faster charging, and better sleep tracking, including a new breathing emergency detection feature. It can also now monitor blood pressure and insulin resistance trends.

Those who are already using Google's Gemini AI assistant on their Android phones will appreciate its integration into the Pixel Watch 5, which is pretty extensive. Gemini "acts as a proactive companion" within the device, "surfacing your flight details on the way to the airport or suggesting a phone number while you text about dinner plans," writes PCMag's Andrew Gebhart. Plus, certain Gemini features now work offline.

All things considered, we think the Pixel Watch 5 is the best Android smartwatch for most people — though if you manage to find its predecessor in stock for way cheaper, it's still a stellar choice.

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Bluetooth/WiFi) $399.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Google Store The best budget Android smartwatch: Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

Mashable readers went a bit gaga for this budget smartwatch when it was announced last July — and after testing it out for ourselves, we get it. Mashable contributor and reviewer Lauren Allain gave it a 4.6/5 rating (earning it a Mashable Choice Award), writing that it "looks, feels, and functions like a smartwatch that costs hundreds more." If you're looking for the best smartwatch under $100, nothing else comes close. (It's priced at $99, but often available for $79 these days.)

The British brand Nothing is known for its unique designs, which somehow look both retro and futuristic at the same time. CMF is the company's budget line, but the Watch 3 Pro doesn't perform like most cheap smartwatches. For starters, it offers direct ChatGPT integration, which even the Apple Watch can't do. Samsung and Google are eager to make you use their own AI tools, but if you prefer ChatGPT, then you'll love this watch.

Other spec highlights include blood oxygen monitoring, stress tracking, precise heart-rate monitoring and location tracking, and an extra-long battery life. For a smartwatch this cheap, that's an impressive roster of features. (Remember: The cheapest Apple Watch still lacks blood oxygen monitoring.) Allain said it best when she wrote that the CMF Watch 3 Pro "feels like a pricing mistake."

Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro $79 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Nothing The best smartwatch for Samsung fans: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 is another great Android wearable packed with Gemini-powered features. While we prefer the Pixel Watch 5 a bit more, mainly because its battery life is much better, this is a sensible purchase for those who are already in the Samsung ecosystem. Its feature set includes a new Heart Health score, a Fitness Index score, a Daily Cardio Load metric, and a tool that monitors your vitals overnight. (Aptly, it's called Vitals.)

On the aesthetic side, Samsung retained "squircle" design of the older Galaxy Watch 8 — which really isn't as ugly as some people say, in our opinion. CNET's Katie Collins said it has a "relatively subtle look, which is useful for an accessory you’re just as likely to be wearing to the gym as into the office." She also found it quite comfortable to wear all day, even in the larger 44mm size. "I can’t imagine ever feeling the need to take this one off, except when it needs recharging," she wrote.

The Galaxy Watch 9 also marks a price hike over its predecessor, but only a small one ($30). The older Galaxy Watch 8 remains a good alternative if you find it at a steep discount.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm, Bluetooth) $379.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Samsung

How we chose these earbuds

Let's be clear: Just because these earbuds are affordable, that doesn't mean they skimp on features.

Mashable audio experts have tested all of the most popular wireless headphones and earbuds (not to mention some wired options). And the very best noise-cancelling wireless earbuds typically cost $250 to $300 — the Apple AirPods Pro 3 retail for $249 (but often go on sale for $179), and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (Gen 2) come in at $299.

Fortunately, you don't need to spend $300 to get a great pair of wireless earbuds; in fact, you don't even need to spend $100. The best cheap wireless earbuds under $100 include some great options from JBL, Nothing, Anker Soundcore, and Beats. And if you're willing to spend a little more, the newest Apple AirPods 5 sound great and include new AI features such as live translation.

When reviewing earbuds for this guide, we looked for features such as easy connectivity, rich and balanced sound, active noise cancellation, and a comfortable fit. And among all the earbuds we've tested, which is an extensive list, these are the best budget earbuds for 2026.

What's considered budget? 

Budget is a relative term. We know the Apple AirPods 5 ($129 to $149) and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds ($149.99 on sale) aren't budget earbuds for everyone, but there are plenty of good options under the $100, $50, and even $25 mark.

Our top pick is the Anker Soundcore P42i, which have a list price of $64.99, and have the noise cancellation of a much more expensive pair of earbuds. Going the budget route might mean making compromises, but not sacrifices. For under $100, you can still get active noise cancellation and self-charging cases. 

We do include a model closer to $200, which we get isn't exactly everyone's idea of budget-friendly. The Apple AirPods 5 with ANC is that model. Compared to premium options, the fifth-gen AirPods offer an awfully similar experience for significantly cheaper and allow folks who want to stay in the Apple ecosystem without having to jump to the Pros.

Earbuds we're currently testing 

Three other pairs of earbuds that are currently in consideration for this list are the CMF Buds 2, JBL Vibe Beam 2, and Sony WF-C510. We're currently testing these earbuds and will update this guide once complete.

Other models we've tested 

The models on this list are pulled from our extensive testing here at Mashable. One of our previous top picks on this list was the Apple AirPods 4; however, the AirPods 5 have replaced them, making them more expensive, and they also lack great Android compatibility. 

Another pair we considered for this list were the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds with sound by Bose. We tested these buds, and while they're pretty good for $100, they have a bad case design and just aren't that comfortable compared to other models on this list — plus, the $100 introductory price went up to $129.99.

On a summer morning on Mars, NASA's Curiosity rover woke in its usual crater, opened its shutter, and snapped a sprawling view carpeted in blues and grays. 

The panorama subverts the usual perception of the Red Planet, a reputation that dates to ancient civilizations. Romans called it Mars, the god of war, because its color reminded them of blood. Egyptians called it Her Desher — "the red one." Even people today associate Mars with rust: dry, desolate, and caked with iron minerals that oxidize red.   

Curiosity captured this scene on Aug. 11, around 8:30 a.m. local time with its Mastcam instrument. A pale custard sky hangs above slate-colored terrain.

What makes the image strange is what the U.S. space agency didn't do. The team almost always adjusts the colors in Mars photos before releasing them. This time, it skipped that step and kept the dim morning light as the camera recorded it. In a news release, NASA called it "an artistic choice." 

Which brings up a surprisingly complex question. No human has ever stood on Mars, so what would the planet actually look like to someone who did? The answer depends on several factors: the weaker sunlight to its farther distance, the dust suspended in the air, the minerals on the ground, the camera's sensor, the editing software, and, not to be underestimated, the eye of the beholder.

SEE ALSO: Astronomers spot something positively enormous behind the Milky Way

When mission teams tweak the photos, scientists say the goal is to make the rocks look as they would in sunlight on Earth. Martian dust tints everything the sun touches, so removing its influence shows the rocks' intrinsic colors. 

In photography, that correction is called white balancing. The phone in your pocket already does it, shifting every picture so the scene looks lit by ordinary daylight. 

"The surface of Mars is covered with pink-red dust that disguises the surface geology," Mike Malin, principal investigator for Curiosity's Mastcam instrument, told Mashable. "That dust is also suspended in the atmosphere, and sunlight passes through it to illuminate the surface. If you have ever been near a forest fire or something like that, the coloring of the sunlight is not unlike the coloring of the sky on Mars most of the time."

The uncropped Martian panorama has six Curiosity images stitched together. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS

Correcting for that haze gives geologists a stable reference point, whether it's a dusty or clear day, said Mark Lemmon, a co-investigator on the Perseverance rover's Mastcam-Z, who wasn't involved in processing this particular image. It also lets scientists compare the terrain to Mars-like places on Earth where they have done much of their fieldwork. Without it, everything takes on the same dusty cast, and the color differences that reveal detail fade away. When a global dust storm engulfed the planet in 2018, the uncorrected view turned "virtually monochrome," he said.

So is the editing tricking us? In a sense, yes. But the unedited image can't claim to show the real Mars, either. True color, meaning what a person would actually see, is hard to pin down. The planet orbits about 1 1/2 times farther from the sun than Earth, so it gets less than half as much sunlight, Malin said. A visitor standing beside Curiosity that morning probably would peer into a murky landscape and see distant cliffs of light tan. The shadows would reveal little color or detail.

Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

But the visitor's own eyes would complicate things further because they don't hold a fixed setting. Given time, a person's brain would start doing what software does.

"If you spend time in a very colored environment, the brain starts to white balance the scene," Lemmon told Mashable. "So there is also something human in the white balancing." 

Scientists hope NASA's Curiosity rover reaches the base of the yardangs sometime in 2027. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech infographic

Is the camera tricking us, then? Mostly not. Lemmon traces the blue to the ground itself. Rocks scoured clean of dust and patches of wind-driven sand look gray to blue-gray, and against the surrounding reds, oranges, and yellows, they tend to look especially blue, he said. 

But the camera can deepen the effect, Malin said. A quarter of the sensor's light-detecting elements are designed to catch blue light, yet Martian sunlight carries very little of it. When the team calibrates the camera to compensate for that weak signal, the boost can overshoot and give gray rocks and dark shadows an extra blue tint. Even a well-calibrated camera records Mars in its dust-tinted light. Images that stop at calibration come out looking orange, he said, as the Viking landers' did in the 1970s. 

For research, both scientists say they prefer the corrected view. Neither could recall a case where the raw image actually revealed something the balanced one hid. But Malin cautioned that it's possible to go too far. Some people process images with harsh contrast that turns the colors "garish," and that can distract other scientists trying to interpret the rocks.

Inspecting rocks is what Curiosity has done since 2014, slowly climbing Mount Sharp, a three-mile-high mountain in Gale Crater stacked in layers, each one recording a different chapter of Martian history. Those layers tell of a world that once held lakes and streams, then dried out billions of years ago and left salty minerals behind. In August, the rover passed one kilometer — about 0.6 miles — of elevation gain, the highest any rover has climbed on Mars. 

The cliffs on the panorama's horizon are Curiosity's next major target. Scientists call them yardangs — ridges the wind carves over long stretches of time that form in sedimentary rock of a specific grain size, Malin said. They stretch about 10 miles across the mountain's northwest flank, and they puzzle the mission team. 

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter views dark patches between yardang ridges. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / UArizona

"The yardang layer looks out of place," said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity's project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in a statement, adding that its color is distinct from its surroundings, and the layer almost looks plastered on. One possibility is that ancient volcanoes blanketed the area in ash, but there are other hypotheses.

Color processing does somewhat shape how scientists read a feature like this, Lemmon said, and mostly for the better. But the yardang layer's prominence doesn't depend on editing. 

"The yardang unit stands out in images from orbit, too," he told Mashable.

Scientists hope Curiosity will reach the base of the yardangs sometime in 2027, and the rover's robotic arm can then gather close-up evidence of what they are.

In the meantime, the panorama gives the public rare insight into whether the Red Planet lives up to its name. People tend to picture Mars redder than it is, Lemmon said: "It is frequently much more butterscotch."

TL;DR: Target’s exclusive Owala holiday collection drops on Oct. 18. Eight new colorways are available to purchase this weekend.

Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Owala x Target   Shop Now

If your emotional support water bottle is due for a festive refresh, set an alarm on your phone right now: the first of several Owala holiday drops is officially hitting Target on Oct. 18. These will inevitably sell out quickly, so be warned.

The Target-exclusive collection spans eight colorways for the standard FreeSip 24oz and the contoured FreeSip Sway 30oz:

FreeSip 24oz

• Cozy Does It: A soft cream base paired with warm, knit-inspired accents.

• Bear Hug: Earthy brown tones with a teddy-bear plush aesthetic.

• Toile Be Home: Elegant cream toile print featuring delicate blue floral patterns.

• Take a Bow: Festive pastel pink wrapped with a subtle ribbon motif.

It doesn't get cosier than Cozy Does It. Credit: Owala FreeSip Sway 30oz

• Poinsettia: Metallic shimmer burgundy-red designed for the holiday table.

• Wintergreen: Deep pine green with a matte, frosted finish.

• Rose Quartz: Soft translucent pink hue with metallic undertones.

• Lightly Toasted: Warm golden-oat colorway with a matte finish.

Wintergreen gives off strong pine vibes. Credit: Owala

Limited-edition Owala drops at Target tend to disappear from shelves within hours. Just ask anyone desperately trying to hunt down Owala’s exclusive Pokémon bottles. We don't think this drop will have Pokémon-levels of interest, because nothing really does. But if you're interested, we recommend getting your affairs in order for Oct. 18. You might still need to act fast.

TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for $27.97 (reg. $219.99) and skip the yearly Microsoft 365 bill.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $27.97
$219.99 Save $192.02   Get Deal

Microsoft pushes almost everyone toward Microsoft 365, and the Personal plan now costs $99.99 a year. A lot of people don’t realize they can still buy Office outright. A Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license is on sale for $27.97 (reg. $219.99), and you pay for it once.

You get the full Professional suite, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access, plus Publisher and the free version of Teams. Access is the database app that Office Home editions leave out, so this version suits anyone who tracks clients, inventory, or invoices. Microsoft ends support for Publisher in October 2026.

Your license installs on one PC running Windows 10 or 11, for home or work. It ties to that computer instead of a Microsoft account, and a Microsoft-verified partner sells it. Because this is Office 2021 and not Microsoft 365, there are no monthly or annual fees.

Your redemption code arrives via email immediately after purchase, and you have 7 days to redeem it. This version doesn’t run in Parallels or other virtual machines, so install it directly on a Windows PC.

Stop paying every year for the apps you already use. Get Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows on sale for $27.97 (reg. $219.99) through Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Mean Girls was more than a teen movie. When it hit in 2004, it was a comedy that defined a generation.

Screenwriter/comedian Tina Fey found inspiration for the film in Rosalind Wiseman's Queen Bees and Wannabes, a self-help book that explored how female friendships among girls could turn toxic. So, Mean Girls became more than a hilarious movie with lines we can't stop quoting; it became a parable about how to be a better friend and build a healthier clique.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Mean Girls starred '00s It Girl Lindsay Lohan as Cady Heron, a naive new girl from Africa who's bewildered by the etiquette of American high school. Lucky for her, she's swiftly welcomed into the popular girl clique known as the Plastics, where Regina George (Rachel McAdams) rules with an iron fist and French manicure. But Cady has a secret that she's keeping from Regina and her henchgirls, Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert) and Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried). Aligned with misfits Janice Ian (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese), this new girl is looking to bring the queen bee down by acting as an inside man. That is, if she can resist the lure of being popular.

But if you've rewatched this movie so many times you can recite it from memory, you go, Glen Coco! I mean, then maybe it's time to try something new? Want a comedy about female friendships surviving hilarious highs and wild lows? Want a teen movie that hits no matter your age? Want a film that will give you new vocal stims? We've got you covered.

Heathers

Before there were the Plastics, there were the Heathers. Set at Westerburg High School in Sherwood, Ohio, this 1989 dark comedy follows the unraveling of a clique of preppy, popular girls named Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty), Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk), and Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder).

But when Veronica hooks up with bad boy J.D. (Christian Slater), she not only becomes increasingly fed up with her shallow and cruel besties, but she also begins to plot how to get revenge. One murder leads to more, and before long, Veronica needs to take some serious self-evaluation before her hot-and-heavy romance with J.D. blows up in her face.

This one is definitely darker than Mean Girls, and it's rated R because of it. But it's definitely influential in terms of female-friendship comedies. Plus, it has an unexpected fraternal connection, as Heathers was written by Daniel Waters, and Mean Girls was directed by his brother Mark Waters.

Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker, and Penelope Milford

How to Watch: Heathers is now playing for free on Tubi.

Mean Girls (2024)

Another thing that Mean Girls and Heathers have in common is that each was adapted into a stage musical. In 2024, Reneé Rapp, who briefly played the role of Regina George on Broadway, reprised the role in the movie adaptation of the musical.

Members of the original film's cast make appearances, including Tina Fey and Tim Meadows, in roles as high school educators. But critics (myself included) noted that this music-driven reboot dulled the original's wit. As I wrote in my review, "It seems this team was trying to wed Mean Girls with High School Musical, bleeding out the bits that might have been too jolting for parents so that kids could expand the demographic. It's a strange call since both movies are PG-13. But there's no denying this Mean Girls is playing it safe. And that's not fetch."

Starring: Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auliʻi Cravalho, Christopher Briney, Jaquel Spivey, Avantika Vandanapu, Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, Tina Fey, and Tim Meadows

How to watch: Mean Girls is now streaming on Pluto TV.

Clueless

Not all popular girls are mean! In writer/director Amy Heckerling's hit comedy from 1995, a new girl in school is swept up into a world of house parties, designer fashion, and deeply clueless L.A. socialites. But as it's based on Jane Austen's Emma, Clueless offers a clique that really is trying to do their best by others.

Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is a bright and eager student at her Beverly Hills high school. And with her no-nonsense bestie Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash) by her side, Cher thinks she can tackle any challenge, from fending off her annoying ex-step brother Josh (Paul Rudd), playing matchmaker to improve her grades, or giving new girl Tai (Brittany Murphy) a makeover to turn her into a total Betty. And what does she get for all her efforts? An insult so scorching it still has us saying, "Way harsh, Tai."

A true landmark in female friendship comedies, Clueless is funny, vibrant, and cool.

Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Dan Hedaya, Jeremy Sisto, Breckin Meyer, Twink Caplan, Donald Faison, Wallace Shawn, and Elisa Donovan

How to watch: Clueless is now streaming on Paramount+.

The Edge of Seventeen

Named after the Stevie Nicks song, The Edge of Seventeen is a sidesplitting comedy about a 17-year-old girl having a comically rough time. Rocked by the death of her father four years before, Nadine Franklin (Hailee Steinfeld) is a socially awkward misfit who struggles to connect to her image-conscious mom (Kyra Sedgwick) and her popular brother, Darian (Blake Jenner). Plus, she's flailing at getting her crush to notice her. The one person she can depend on is her bestie Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) — that is, until she catches Krista in bed with Darian.

Feeling betrayed, Nadine has an unhinged (and very funny) crash out, which involves turning to her sardonic teacher (Woody Harrelson) for help. Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, The Edge of Seventeen is a wonderful movie that masterfully captures the agony and outrageousness of being a teen girl who's trying to make sense of life, loss, and the real meaning of friendship.

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, Blake Jenner, Woody Harrelson, and Haley Lu Richardson

How to watch: The Edge of Seventeen is now streaming on Prime Video.

Booksmart

Olivia Wilde made her directorial debut with this critically praised coming-of-age comedy about two try-hard high school seniors who are desperate to shake up their reputation before graduation. See, Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) are besties, who love each other — and overachieving. But once they learn that their hard-partying classmates also got into great colleges, they fear they're underachievers on the social front. So, time to cram four years of sex, drugs, and shenanigans into one night.

Booksmart plays like Superbad for those of us who fear we relate to Liz Lemon too much. The screenplay from Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman is chock-full of jokes that go from raunchy and witty to brilliantly stupid. And a cast overflowing with terrific comedic talent assures that there's never a dull moment. But some of the cringe comedy here may have you covering your eyes.

Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Jason Sudeikis, Billie Lourd, Skyler Gisondo, and Molly Gordon

How to watch: Booksmart is now streaming on Lionsgate+.

Easy A

Another clever book adaptation, Easy A is a modern re-imagining of Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter. Emma Stone stars as Olive Penderghast, a whip-smart 17-year-old girl who becomes the subject of much slut shaming when a prudish classmate starts rumors about her sex life. Rather than denying the claims, Olive leans in, wearing bustiers to school with a red "A" plastered on them, and accepting gift cards in exchange for letting boys lie about hooking up with her.

Written by Bert V. Royal and directed by Will Gluck, Easy A harkens back to the teen sex comedies of the '80s with less problematic sexual politics. Stone is sensational in the lead role of a wise-cracking rebel. Penn Badgley pops up as a love interest in a woodchuck costume. And Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci play parents who are beautiful, funny, and cool in a way that's almost infuriating, because we want to go to there! Hilarious and heartwarming, Easy A is a great choice for a cozy night in.

Starring: Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Cam Gigandet, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell, Aly Michalka, and Stanley Tucci

How to watch: Easy A is now streaming on Paramount+.

Juno

In 2007, this comedy from screenwriter Diablo Cody became a sensation for its unique vision of teen angst and teen pregnancy. Elliot Page stars as Juno MacGuff, a quirky teen girl whose life is thrown into spin she realizes she's carrying a baby after a hook-up with her crush, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Thanks to encouragement from her best friend, Leah (Olivia Thirlby), she cooks up a plan to find some good grown-ups to adopt the kid. But prospective parents Vanessa and Mark Loring (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) aren't as picture-perfect as they seem.

Cody won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Juno, and it's easy to see why. Rather than trying to encapsulate how teenagers in the '00s were using slang, she made up her own, building a unique world that invited all weirdos in warmly. From there, a vibrant color scheme, a terrific soundtrack from Kimya Dawson, and a cast exploding with chaotic charisma makes Juno a movie that's timeless fun.

Starring: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, and J. K. Simmons

How to watch: Juno is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

Unpregnant

Co-written and directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, this underseen buddy comedy offers a road trip like no other. Based on the novel of the same name by Ted Caplan and Jenni Hendriks, Unpregnant stars Haley Lu Richardson as Veronica Clarke, a 17-year-old who seems to have her future at an Ivy League university all lined up — until she finds herself staring down a positive pregnancy test in the girls' bathroom.

Determined to get an abortion without her parents knowing, Veronica needs to travel across state lines. But her boyfriend is not the person she trusts to get her there. Instead, she turns to her former bestie, Bailey Butler (Barbie Ferreira), who is her real ride-or-die. While that sounds like the plot of the 2020 drama Never Rarely Sometimes Always, this bold PG-13 movie is firmly a comedy, turning America's culture war on bodily autonomy of pregnant people into a truly wild ride that's wonderfully funny. And beyond that, Unpregnant is a touching film about learning what it means to be a true friend.

Starring: Haley Lu Richardson, Barbie Ferreira, Alex MacNicoll, Breckin Meyer, Giancarlo Esposito, Sugar Lyn Beard, and Betty Who

How to watch: Unpregnant is streaming on HBO Max.

Bottoms

As a follow-up to her critically heralded cringe comedy Shiva Baby, writer/director Emma Seligman reteamed with writer/actress Rachel Sennott for Bottoms. This 2023 comedy stars Sennott and The Bear's Ayo Edebiri as two "ugly, untalented gays" who are desperate to get their crushes to notice them. So, they start a fight club for girls.

Naturally, these two losers have no idea how to fight. But lucky for them (and us), theirs is a world full of fools. Things get absolutely wild as horny teen antics escalate to arson, brawls, and a climax that is comically violent and utterly bizarre. One warning: Between the graphic violence, bawdy language, and general horniness, this one's rated R. So, keep that in mind before cuing it up for a family movie night.

Starring: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Dagmara Domińczyk, and Marshawn Lynch

How to watch: Bottoms is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

In our "maxxing" culture of optimization, no aspect of life is safe from attempts to make it as enhanced as possible. This includes our sex lives: We have to want more sex, have more sex, and have better sex. 

And there are always products to help you do just that. In 2026, there are a ton of libido products on the market, especially for women and people with vulvas. Mashable checked with experts which ones are actually worth trying, with the knowledge that there's no end-all, be-all solution.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best hookup apps of 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt What is libido?

"Libido" is difficult to define. In general, though, it's about desire, interest in intimacy and sex, and thoughts about it, OBGYN and co-director of the University of Chicago Medicine Center for Women's Integrated Health, Dr. Melinda Lukens, told Mashable.

Libido is also incredibly personal and changes throughout a woman's lifespan, Lukens said. This is due to relationship changes, outside stressors, trauma, pregnancy and postpartum, as well as perimenopause and menopause.

And there are different types of desire: spontaneous desire and responsive desire, sexpert for sex toy brand LELO, licensed psychologist, and certified sex therapist Dr. Laurie Mintz told Mashable. Spontaneous desire is a male model and youth-oriented model — and it's unfortunately the one we see in the movies when someone is overcome with passion and wants sex immediately. People experiencing spontaneous desire might also feel the beginning stages of arousal, like tingling in the genitals, warmth, and lubrication, Mintz noted.

Responsive desire is wanting sex without feeling those physical feelings, she explains. Sexual activity comes first, then desire comes. And people want to have sex for a variety of reasons. In a 2007 paper titled "Why humans have sex," participants identified 237 individual ones. The top wasn't being horny, but being attracted to the person they had sex with. Next on the list was wanting to experience physical pleasure, and because sex feels good. (Being horny was reason #7.)

Most women — as they get older and/or are in long-term relationships — lose spontaneous desire. Mintz tells those women to have sex to get horny rather than waiting to be horny to have sex.

How to increase libido, really

Both Lukens and Mintz said that desire is multifaceted and that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. The best place to start is a doctor's office.

With patients who come in who want to increase their desire for sex, Lukens first asks a number of questions: What exactly is bothering them? How long has this been going on, and why do they want to fix this now?

Then, she asks about the patient's relationship with their partner and what conversations they're having. She also asks if the patient has been able to orgasm during sex. Lukens utilizes the Female Sexual Function Index, which asks questions about desire, arousal, and satisfaction. She wants a deep history of what's been going on, and that can illuminate which direction to take this. 

She recommends Mintz's book, A Tired Woman's Guide to Passionate Sex, to patients. Sometimes, the process of getting desire back also involves a therapist, a sexual health professional, or another mental health professional. 

If a patient tells her she has a safe relationship with her partner, and she's able to enjoy sex and intimacy but needs a little bit more oomph to get things started, Lukens will talk about medication therapy. Her current go-to is testosterone therapy. (More on that below.)

If someone lost their desire because they hate their husband, they probably shouldn't take medication to get it back, Mintz said. But if someone lost their desire because of normative age-related changes, the first course of action would be to teach about responsive desire, scheduling sex, and the like. 

"But there are some women who learn about responsive desire, they use it effectively, but they grieve. They grieve the feeling of being horny, because it's a glorious feeling, right?" Mintz said. "And for those women, I think these medicines can be extremely useful." She used to be against desire meds, but she's since changed her tune. 

So what products do the experts actually recommend?

Libido treatmentsMindfulness

"If I had a woman coming to me with desire issues, my first thing would be the psychological stuff," Mintz said, such as being mindful during sex. 

"Mindfulness, responsive desire, all that," she said. "If she says, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I really miss feeling horny,' I'd send her to a sexual medicine physician for something FDA-approved or testosterone, Addyi, Vyleesi, and I would also tell her about vibrators and marijuana because the evidence is strong there."

Testosterone

Testosterone isn't yet FDA-approved for women, but both Lukens and Mintz mentioned it as an option for post-menopausal women. Like any of these medications, it's not a cure-all. Lukens pointed out that 40 percent of women see improvement over placebo, but she said it's a nice option for someone who's already exhausted other avenues.

Vyleesi

Vyleesi is the brand name for a medication called bremelanotide, an FDA-approved injection for premenopausal women. Patients inject Vyleesi around 45 minutes before sexual activity, and it can't be used more than once in a 24-hour period or 8 times in one month. There's no safety data for pregnant people using Vyleesi, so it's advised to use reliable contraception. 

Lukens doesn't prescribe Vyleesi, but found that the treatment effect was modest in absolute terms. In one study, around 24 percent of bremelanotide patients achieved a more than 1.2-point increase in their desire score versus 18 percent with placebo, as measured by the Female Sexual Function Index. The change in the number of satisfying sexual events wasn't significantly different from placebo, though a post-study analysis showed a higher percentage of these events with the drug, Lukens said. 

Patients with high blood pressure should avoid using Vyleesi. It's also advised to avoid if you're taking naltrexone (used to treat alcohol use disorder and opiate use disorder). Side effects include nausea, transient increase in blood pressure and decrease in heart rate, and hyperpigmentation (patients with darker skin have a higher risk of this).

But, positively, it doesn't interact with alcohol the way Addyi does.

Addyi

Addyi (the drug flibanserin) is a daily oral pill that's also FDA-approved. Lukens said it also has a modest benefit to increase the number of satisfying sexual experiences by around 0.5 per month. Common side effects include dizziness and fatigue. This also has interactions with alcohol that cause low blood pressure, so you shouldn't drink while taking this. 

Cannabis

Mintz pointed out that studies have shown a link between cannabis and higher sexual desire and performance, in small doses. In higher doses, though, it's associated with the opposite (which makes sense — you might fall asleep before anything sexy happens). 

Vibrators

Vibrators aren't just linked to greater sexual satisfaction. Studies have shown that vibrators can also increase sexual desire. So if you've been wanting an excuse to buy a new sex toy, here it is — and Mashable has lots of suggestions on which vibrators to buy.

Erotica

No need to shun your Heated Rivalry fan fiction habit. Erotic literature has also been shown to increase desire and satisfaction compared to a placebo. 

What about libido gummies?

There are many supplements and pills out there that claim to boost libido. Just one example is Lemme Play Gummies, from the Kourtney Kardashian-owned brand Lemme. On its website, it claims these gummies are for "daily intimacy." They have ingredients like ashwagandha, maca root, nitric oxide, and horny goat weed.

Only one of those ingredients, ashwagandha, has clinical trials, said Mintz, who recommends only FDA-approved drugs or products with clinical trials published in scientific journals. Maca root has suggested evidence, and nitric oxide has nothing to do with desire, just blood flow to tissues. Horny goat weed has nothing studied, she said.

"So what do I think of those products? Not much," she said. "They're taking things that have evidence or not, making them go together and saying this is a desire pill. And my thinking is, first of all, we have FDA-approved medicines, and if you want to take something with evidence, then take the one ingredient that has evidence, ashwagandha." But you need to talk to your doctor about whether to take certain ingredients. People with thyroid issues, for instance, shouldn't take ashwagandha. 

Lukens said, "The truth is that so many of these supplements do not have actual evidence behind them. They really aren't held to the same premarket efficacy and safety standards as something that's FDA approved," but companies can market them however they'd like.

"Women deserve to know what evidence is really behind what they're putting in their bodies," she continued.

People might experience a change because they believe a product they're using works — that's the placebo effect. "Our mind and body — everyone says they're connected. They're not connected. They are one," Mintz said. "They're more than connected. They're the same thing."

But the problem with the placebo effect is the cost, Lukens said, monetary and potentially otherwise (such as taking an ingredient that has a negative impact on your body).

Don't believe the social media hype

Lukens has noticed an increase in the last three to five years of women coming to her to talk about their libidos. Historically, she said, women were shamed for being sexual, but now it seems that we're swinging in the opposite direction and women can feel like they're supposed to want more sex.

"I'm glad we're talking more openly about women's sexual health, but I do worry that with…all this talk online, that we're starting to replace one kind of pressure with another," she said.

Research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, Dr. Jaclyn Siegel, told Mashable over email that she believes the push to sell women things to "fix" their "broken" sex drive instead of understanding the circumstances to affect their desire to have sex — such as working multiple jobs, childcare, uneven domestic labor, and pain during sex — is a money grab. 

"Supplements also aren't regulated. I empathize with women who feel broken in some way, but this does not seem like the way," Siegel said. 

Similarly, Lukens said, "Some of these companies online and these social media influencers are really pathologizing libido," she said. Despite what you see on Reels, you won't feel like your 20-year-old self again if you just take one supplement or medication.

But that doesn't mean there's nothing to be done. There are a host of ways, medicinal or not, to try to increase your desire. Taking the pressure off yourself might be the first step.

What do Street Fighter and Fast X have in common? Well, two things, actually. Both feature Jason Momoa playing a chaotic figure with great hair. Beyond that, however, both are big, bonkers action movies that end on a cliffhanger.

Written by Kitao Sakurai and T.J. Fixman, and helmed by the former, Street Fighter takes place in 1993, when a power-hungry M. Bison (David Dastmalchian) mounts the second World Warrior Tournament. His goal is to lure out the first tournament champion, Ryu (Andrew Koji). But after the death of his sensei, Gouken (Don Lee), Ryu went into hiding, even becoming estranged from even his best friend, Ken Masters (Noah Centineo).

Chun-Li (Callina Liang) is tasked with gathering the world's best fighters for Bison's tournament. But when she invites Ken, she's pretty up-front that his exploits fighting animals and vehicles have made him a joke. He's being invited chiefly as bait to attract Ryu to the event. With a chip on his shoulder, Ken travels to the tournament to prove himself. But he soon learns there's a bigger battle brewing.

What is M. Bison's plan? David Dastmalchian as M. Bison in "Street Fighter." Credit: PARAMOUNT PICTURES, CAPCOM AND LEGENDARY

Bison is seeking to increase his own fighting abilities by draining the "psycho power" out of other warriors. While early test subjects die without giving Bison the juice he desires, he becomes convinced that Ryu's special brand of power is what he needs. The initial plan seems to be to siphon it from Ryu during the tournament's fights.

However, after a bar brawl ends with a bunch of the contenders KO'ed in a street, Ryu is imprisoned and forced to combat the green-skinned redhead Blanka (Momoa). During this cage match, Bison's team of terrorized scientists use special devices to try to harness Ryu's power. But his power is so great that it blows out the machines.

However, in the end, Bison seeks a new target for his power-drain: Akuma (Joe "Roman Reigns" Anoa'i).

Who is Akuma? Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i in PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND LEGENDARY PICTURES In Association with CAPCOM.A LEGENDARY PICTURES Production “STREET FIGHTER” Credit: PARAMOUNT PICTURES, CAPCOM AND LEGENDARY

Introduced in the 1994 fighting game Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Akuma is younger brother of Gouken in the franchise's lore. His origins in the movie are less clear. In animation flashbacks, Street Fighter reveals a pivotal battle between Gouken and Akuma, witnessed by the former's adopted sons/proteges, Ryu and Ken.

In this battle, Akuma, whose eyes turn red to reflect his evil power, urges Ryu to rescue his master by surrendering to the darkness inside himself. Even while gasping for breath, Gouken advises Ryu against this, even if it means his death. And the pupil listens. Ryu does not deliver the Hadoken blow. And Akuma kills Gouken in front of him.

How does Street Fighter end? Alexander Volkanovski plays Joe in "Street Fighter." Credit: PARAMOUNT PICTURES, CAPCOM AND LEGENDARY

In the movie's finale, Akuma crashes the tournament expecting to face off against Ryu. But instead, he finds Joe (Alexander Volkanovski), an Aussie fighter swiftly demolished so that only his flashy belt remains.

When Ryu arrives at the arena, he surrenders to the darkness to combat Akuma. His white gi turns black, and his irises turn red to reflect his turn into Evil Ryu, a playable variant in Street Fighter Alpha 2. With this power surge, Ryu is able to best Akuma, knocking him into the stone bleachers, where he falls unconscious in the rubble. But the real battle is not over.

Still fueled by his dark side, Ryu does not welcome the arrival of allies Ken, Chun-Li, and Dan (Andrew Schulz) to the arena. Instead, he attacks them. They gang up on him, fighting not to kill but to break him out of this rampage mode. But they are no match for Evil Ryu.

Then, Ken, determined to fulfill his promise to their departed master that he'd protect Ryu from himself, unlocks his full power to knock Ryu out — or knock some sense into him. His blow sends Ryu out of the darkness, but also into unconsciousness. But after a passionate sing-along of 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up?" Ryu is restored, and the friends are happily reunited.

But in the meantime, Bison and his Dolls have taken off with Akuma, setting up a sequel.

Street Fighter 2 would be a rematch. Callina Liang stars in PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND LEGENDARY PICTURES In Association with CAPCOM.A LEGENDARY PICTURES Production “STREET FIGHTER” Credit: PARAMOUNT PICTURES, CAPCOM AND LEGENDARY

If Street Fighter makes enough to kick off a sequel, Sakurai and Fixman have established the battle lines. M. Bison and his ferociously devoted underlings Vega (Orville Peck), Cammy (Mel Jarnson), and Juli (Rayna Vallandingham) are on one side. Plus, they've got a captive (or rescued?) Akuma, who shares their hatred for Ryu.

On the other side, Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, and Dan are joined by Guile (Cody Rhodes) and Dhalsim (Vidyut Jammwal). In the film's final sequence, this United Air Forces fighter and yogi buddy pick up the other four as they hitchhike on a rural road. Plus, there's the possibility that Blanka could come back, as he considers Ryu a friend now.

But the mid-credit scene reveals Bison has picked up a new ally of his own.

What happens in the Street Fighter mid-credit scene? Vidyut Jammwal stars in PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND LEGENDARY PICTURES In Association with CAPCOM.A LEGENDARY PICTURES Production “STREET FIGHTER” Credit: PARAMOUNT PICTURES, CAPCOM AND LEGENDARY

To explain this, we need to go back to the film's anime opening.

In the original World Warrior Tournament, Ryu was readying for the championship bout against Sagat, when Ken finds him trying to relax by listening to "What's Up?" (Who would have thunk Linda Perry would get such love from Street Fighter?)

A final boss in several Street Fighter games, Sagat is known as the "Emperor of Muay Thai," and a former bodyguard for Bison. In the movie, he's only shown in animation and given no backstory.

In the opening battle sequence, he is a mighty combatant. But Ryu taps into his own darkness to deliver a brutal blow across Sagat's chest for the win. Then, in the movie's mid-credit scene, Bison and his allies — in another anime sequence — find Sagat on a tropical island. Now, he's brandishing his signature scar across his chest, a mark made in the movie by Ryu.

This suggests that if a sequel should come, Sagat will join the live-action cast. Begin your fancasting posts now.

Street Fighter is now in theaters.

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 3-day free trial, then $199.99/year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 5-day free trial, then $63.99/month for 1 month (save $25) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Orange & Blue $60.99/month Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 5 months (save $110) Shop Now

There's a big Southeastern Conference showdown today as the Kentucky Wildcats go on the road to face the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 7 action.

The pressure's on No. 15 Kentucky, who are 5-1 overall, to push further up the rankings, particularly after an overtime win against LSU — the Wildcats' second overtime win in a row.

But the unranked Oklahoma, who are 3-2, will prove tough competition. They've got momentum following a win over their rivals, the Texas Longhorns.

If you want to watch Kentucky vs. Oklahoma for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Kentucky vs. Oklahoma?

Kentucky vs. Oklahoma takes place at 7.30 p.m. ET on Oct. 17. This game takes place at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma.

Kentucky vs. Oklahoma is broadcast on SEC Network.

How to watch college football in 2026

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $31.99 per month, but for an extra $4 per month you can secure a plan that also includes Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99/year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $38.89 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a three-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers more than 250 live TV channels and lets you watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a five-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters with a trial before you make any commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $99.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). Plus, the first month will only cost $49.99.

The included ESPN+ access provides bonus coverage of even more college football games, in addition to live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $60.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sports streaming service that offers a wide range of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue package gives you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, plus ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Kentucky vs. Oklahoma from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Kentucky vs. Oklahoma from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Kentucky vs. Oklahoma from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 3-day free trial, then $199.99/year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 5-day free trial, then $63.99/month for 1 month (save $25) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Orange & Blue $60.99/month Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 5 months (save $110) Shop Now

As the college football season rolls into Week 7, we're already looking towards the playoffs. With the Oklahoma State Cowboys set to face the Houston Cougars, both teams are fighting to pick up wins and climb the rankings.

Oklahoma State are at 18 with an overall 4-1 record, while Houston are sitting at 20 with a 5-1 record. It's going to be a battle for them to stay in contention for the playoffs, but not impossible — and both teams are on winning streaks in the Big 12.

If you want to watch Oklahoma State vs. Houston for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Oklahoma State vs. Houston?

Oklahoma State vs. Houston takes place at 7.30 p.m. ET on Oct. 17. This game takes place at the TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Oklahoma State vs. Houston is broadcast on FOX.

How to watch college football in 2026

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $31.99 per month, but for an extra $4 per month you can secure a plan that also includes Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99/year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $38.89 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a three-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers more than 250 live TV channels and lets you watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a five-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters with a trial before you make any commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $99.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). Plus, the first month will only cost $49.99.

The included ESPN+ access provides bonus coverage of even more college football games, in addition to live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $60.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sports streaming service that offers a wide range of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue package gives you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, plus ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Oklahoma State vs. Houston from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Oklahoma State vs. Houston from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Oklahoma State vs. Houston from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 3-day free trial, then $199.99/year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 5-day free trial, then $63.99/month for 1 month (save $25) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Orange & Blue $60.99/month Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 5 months (save $110) Shop Now

It's Week 7 in the 2026 college football season, and there's a stacked lineup of Southeastern Conference games. The schedule includes the Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. the LSU Tigers, a game that could see No. 16 Miss State edge toward the top of the SEC and climb the AP rankings if they get the win.

Miss State are 4-1 overall, while No. 22 LSU are 4-2 but undefeated at home. Could they stop the Bulldogs in their tracks? Both teams are coming off a loss, but Miss State are also coming off a bye week — LSU will need to secure a victory to keep the playoff dream alive.

If you want to watch Miss State vs. LSU for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Miss State vs. LSU?

Miss State vs. LSU takes place at 12 p.m. ET on Oct. 17. This game takes place at the Tiger Stadium in Baton Rogue, Louisiana.

Miss State vs. LSU is broadcast on ESPN.

How to watch college football in 2026

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $31.99 per month, but for an extra $4 per month you can secure a plan that also includes Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99/year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $38.89 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a three-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers more than 250 live TV channels and lets you watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a five-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters with a trial before you make any commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $99.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). Plus, the first month will only cost $49.99.

The included ESPN+ access provides bonus coverage of even more college football games, in addition to live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $60.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sports streaming service that offers a wide range of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue package gives you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, plus ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Miss State vs. LSU from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Miss State vs. LSU from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Miss State vs. LSU from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 3-day free trial, then $199.99/year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 5-day free trial, then $63.99/month for 1 month (save $25) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Orange & Blue $60.99/month Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 5 months (save $110) Shop Now

Week 7 promises big action from the Southeastern Conference, including the Missouri Tigers on the road against the Ole Miss Rebels.

No. 9 Ole Miss are coming off a huge win against Vanderbilt, while No. 13 Missouri are on a two-game streak, having bounced back from a one-score loss to MS State, their only loss of the season. Ole Miss have also lost just one game this season, against the Florida Gators.

However it plays out, this should be an exciting showdown with big implications for both SEC and AP rankings, with both teams looking to stay in the running for the playoffs.

If you want to watch Missouri vs. Ole Miss for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Missouri vs. Ole Miss?

Missouri vs. Ole Miss takes place at 3.30 p.m. ET on Oct. 17. This game takes place at the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

Missouri vs. Ole Miss is broadcast on SEC Network.

How to watch college football in 2026

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $31.99 per month, but for an extra $4 per month you can secure a plan that also includes Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99/year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $38.89 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a three-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers more than 250 live TV channels and lets you watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a five-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters with a trial before you make any commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $99.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). Plus, the first month will only cost $49.99.

The included ESPN+ access provides bonus coverage of even more college football games, in addition to live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $60.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sports streaming service that offers a wide range of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue package gives you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, plus ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Missouri vs. Ole Miss from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Missouri vs. Ole Miss from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Missouri vs. Ole Miss from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 3-day free trial, then $199.99/year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 5-day free trial, then $63.99/month for 1 month (save $25) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Orange & Blue $60.99/month Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 5 months (save $110) Shop Now

There's an exciting Week 7 fixture for college football fans. The Alabama Crimson Tide and Tennessee Volunteers meet in a classic showdown known as "the Third Saturday in October."

No. 6 Alabama has had the better season so far, with a 5-1 record overall and 3-1 in the Southeastern Conference. No. 14 Tennessee has the same overall 5-1 record, but they're only 2-1 in conference games. Expect both teams to put it all on the line as they fight for a victory over their biggest rival — while staying in contention for the playoffs.

If you want to watch Alabama vs. Tennessee for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Alabama vs. Tennessee?

Alabama vs. Tennessee takes place at 8.30 p.m. ET on Oct. 17. This game takes place at the Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Alabama vs. Tennessee is broadcast on ABC.

How to watch college football in 2026

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $31.99 per month, but for an extra $4 per month you can secure a plan that also includes Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99/year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $38.89 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a three-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers more than 250 live TV channels and lets you watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a five-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters with a trial before you make any commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $99.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). Plus, the first month will only cost $49.99.

The included ESPN+ access provides bonus coverage of even more college football games, in addition to live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $60.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sports streaming service that offers a wide range of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue package gives you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, plus ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Alabama vs. Tennessee from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Alabama vs. Tennessee from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Alabama vs. Tennessee from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 3-day free trial, then $199.99/year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 5-day free trial, then $63.99/month for 1 month (save $25) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Orange & Blue $60.99/month Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 5 months (save $110) Shop Now

There's a major test for two of the best-performing teams in college football today, as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish go on the road to face the BYU Cougars in Week 7. Both teams are undefeated so far, with No. 2 Notre Dame at 6-0 and No. 8 BYU at 5-0.

It should be an exciting game, as one team is guaranteed to break the other's perfect record. A win for BYU should keep them comfortably on top of the Big 12 conference, while Notre Dame is currently a safe bet for the playoffs.

If you want to watch Notre Dame vs. BYU for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Notre Dame vs. BYU?

Notre Dame vs. BYU takes place at 7.30 p.m. ET on Oct. 17. This game takes place at the LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.

Notre Dame vs. BYU is broadcast on ABC.

How to watch college football in 2026

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $31.99/month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $31.99 per month, but for an extra $4 per month you can secure a plan that also includes Disney+ and Hulu.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99/year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $38.89 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a three-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers more than 250 live TV channels and lets you watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a five-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters with a trial before you make any commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $99.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $99.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). Plus, the first month will only cost $49.99.

The included ESPN+ access provides bonus coverage of even more college football games, in addition to live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $60.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sports streaming service that offers a wide range of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue package gives you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, plus ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Notre Dame vs. BYU from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Notre Dame vs. BYU from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Notre Dame vs. BYU from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

You can find a TV on sale any given day of the year, but the real record-low sale prices tend to follow an (unofficial) schedule. So, when is the best time to buy a TV?

Of course, you could probably guess that Black Friday and Prime Day are high up on the list, but those aren't the only good times to score a big screen at a massive discount. There are a few other times the TV deals will really wow you throughout the year, like during football season or in the spring when the new TVs of the year are finally hitting shelves. It's kind of like a "once per season" thing.

SEE ALSO: What is camelcamelcamel? Just our secret weapon for finding the lowest prices on Amazon.

TV pricing tends to follow a yearly cycle of sorts: The upcoming main sale window will likely match or beat the best deals from the previous one. For example, Prime Big Deal Days 2026 just outpriced most of the best TV deals we saw during Prime Day proper in June. But many of those Prime Big Deal Days prices will likely be beaten by Black Friday.

Given how big an investment they are, understanding the peaks of the TV calendar is a crucial chapter in the unofficial TV buyer's guide. Let's break down the best months of the year to find TV deals. And if you could use a breakdown of what the heck a QLED or mini LED TV even is before making your purchase, my TV specs explainer lays it all out.

The No. 1 best time to buy a TV: Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Months: Late October, November, and early to mid-December

People may not be ready to throw hands in a Best Buy parking lot at 4 a.m., but Black Friday TV deals are still unmatched — they just don't require you to leave the house at the crack of dawn.

Black Friday is trending toward a month-long affair at this point, with retailers shifting into Black Friday mode online as early as October. The extended time frame raises the question of whether TV sale prices will drop even further closer to Black Friday. Thankfully, most of the big retailers are up front about early deals. Best Buy and Samsung will straight-up tag certain deals as Black Friday deals if they drop before the big day, letting buyers know there's no need to hold out until the week of Thanksgiving.

This is an especially auspicious time for budget shoppers looking for the cheapest possible version of a 4K TV at a certain size. During Black Friday, basic budget-friendly 4K TVs are typically the doorbusters that sell out soon after they drop — and are much less likely to return in the next few months.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When are the deals better?

In-store or not, Best Buy TV deals during Black Friday include elite prices on TVs 65 inches or larger. You can save hundreds on high-end QLEDs and OLEDs. You'll also find big-screen budget QLEDs at shockingly low prices. Walmart also stays in the mix with a handful of wild doorbuster deals on the best cheap TVs, while Amazon mostly caters to the affordable TV crowd, focusing most on its own Fire TVs and brands like Hisense and TCL.

Post-holiday sales and New Year sales are absolutely a thing, but you can be confident that most TV prices are generally better before Christmas than after. We've seen firsthand how TV sale prices quietly go up by $100 to $200 during post-holiday sales. However, if you miss the Black Friday-Cyber Monday season, another chance to save on TVs is around the corner.

The second-best time to find TV deals: NFL playoff season

Months: Mid-January to early February

Waiting for the festive hustle and bustle to pass is definitely a strategy to save in some categories. So, are TVs cheaper after the holidays?

The answer is technically yes, but not in the "after-Christmas sales" way that you're thinking. By "after the holidays," we mean the last few weeks of football season. Football-fueled TV deals kick off near the start of the NFL playoffs (sometime in mid to late January) and last until the big game (some in early to mid-February).

It makes sense that TV deals are pushed so hard during the lead-up to the most-watched sporting event in the U.S. Hosting a watch party is a perfect excuse to upgrade to a bigger screen. Or maybe it's the fact that the last 18 weeks of the regular season have brought you to your breaking point with your current TV. The field looks washed out, small details like the score bug are pixelated, the glare from your windows makes afternoon games unbearable — whatever the issue, TV brands aren't about to let this opportunity pass.

SEE ALSO: Best 65-inch+ TVs for watching in dark and bright rooms

Football playoff deals tend to spotlight TVs that are good for watching sports: i.e., big-screen QLED TVs, plus some of the brighter OLED TVs of the year. The vibrant lighting supplied by a QLED panel is ideal for following small details like a ball or a tiny score box, as well as for highlighting the brightness of the team's colors and the field, making your experience feel as live and in-person as possible. It's not uncommon for most of these deals to be identical to what we saw on Black Friday, or, in some cases, to drop even further in price due to the proximity to CES. (Read more about that below.)

The third-best time to find TV deals: Spring

Months: March and April

The annual TV release cycle mostly revolves around CES: a Las Vegas-based tech trade show where the latest and greatest consumer tech is unveiled to gadget enthusiasts. This is where brands like Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense show off their new TV designs for the year. Sony doesn't always participate in CES, but its TV announcement and release cycle still has similar timing.

While these fresh new TVs aren't the ones getting major discounts, their existence does trigger major price cuts on the previous year's flagship TVs. These deals pop up not when the TVs are announced at the event in January, but once they start being officially released to the public in the spring.

Surprisingly, it's not that uncommon to see small discounts on the brand-new models in their first few months on the market.

The fourth-best time to find TV deals: Prime Day

Month: June or July

Amazon stands out as a TV destination during the shopping holidays it made up for itself: Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days (basically a second Prime Day). The summer sale was consistently held in July until 2026, when Amazon bumped Prime Day to June.

Naturally, Fire TVs are the focal point during Prime events — we've seen a 43-inch Amazon Omni 4K Fire TV drop below $100 during Prime Big Deal Days. Prime Day is packed with unbelievably cheap QLED TVs (in price, not quality) from Hisense or TCL, even in the big sizes.

SEE ALSO: Camelcamelcamel just launched Camelmart, a Walmart version of our favorite Amazon price tracker

But many of the best Prime Day TV deals aren't actually at Amazon. They're at Best Buy, which loves to hold a mega sale conveniently during the same week as Prime Day. Best Buy is the best place to shop for a TV if you're looking for a higher-end model from Samsung, LG, or Sony, such as a flagship OLED or an RGB TV.

Does a TV deal seem too good to be true? Check its price history.

Pro Amazon tip: Any time you spot a seemingly good discount, you can confirm you're actually getting a good deal by checking its price history on camelcamelcamel, a free Amazon price-tracking site. Just copy and paste the URL to get a graph showing that TV's price fluctuations over the past year or so, plus confirmation of its lowest sale price ever on Amazon. If the deal you're currently eyeing doesn't match that, it's probably best to wait — that record-low price is sure to pop up during one of the peak sale times we just discussed.

There's also a Walmart price tracker now: Camelmart, obviously. Hopefully, Best Buy's is next.

As a good rule of thumb: If a deal seems too good to be true, there's a good chance it is. But don't underestimate how steep TV discounts can get, either.

In the age of on-demand everything, it’s no surprise that we can get "dates" (and I use that term loosely) with the tap of a button. Thanks to classic hookup apps like Tinder and newcomers like Pure, finding a sexy new friend can be as straightforward as ordering a pizza. As for the quality? That’s about the same as your pizza — hit or miss, depending on the time of day, where you're located, and how hungry you are.

SEE ALSO: 6 AdultFriendFinder features other hookup sites lack

Fortunately, you’ve got me, your resident dating app expert (though I prefer modern-day Carrie Bradshaw), to guide you to the promised land, aka the best hookup apps.

I’ve spent the past four years (yes, years) testing dozens of the top dating apps for Mashable, from discreet sexting apps to dating sites for serious relationships. My goal is simple: to find the best apps for every kind of dater, including the one-night-stand crowd. I also consulted a panel of sex and relationship experts to make sure my picks are solid.

The short answer: Tinder is still the best hookup app for most people, thanks to its massive user base and new IRL features like Group Hangouts and Events. If you want total anonymity, try Pure. Hinge is best for regular FWBs, and Feeld is the go-to for kink, ethical non-monogamy, and exploring your sexuality. Queer men should start with Grindr (or Sniffies for cruising), and queer women should download HER.

How to get the most out of hookup apps

My first rule: be brutally honest about what you want. Are you here for a good time? Own it. That means staying in your lane; don't go looking for a one-night stand on an app like eharmony. "Hookup apps help prevent situations where people are on mainstream dating sites with the intention of having a casual hookup but are unclear about these intentions," Suzannah Weiss, sex/couples therapist and resident sexologist for Erojoy, tells Mashable. "They also give women a space to be openly sexual creatures without judgment."

And here's a little secret I picked up from Alexander Liebisch, the CEO and founder of TinderProfile.ai: Timing is everything. He found that people messaging on Tinder's "Free Tonight" feature after 10 p.m. on a weekend had a 45 percent higher chance of hooking up.

Once you've matched, reach out, be honest, and follow through! "Plan dates within the first conversation or else you'll get tired out from having a bunch of conversations that aren't going anywhere," Weiss says.

Recent updates to this guide

• OkCupid (removed October 2026): OkCupid is still a solid pick for inclusive, values-driven dating, but it's a relationship app at heart. Feeld, HUD, and HER all do inclusivity better for no-strings fun. And after OkCupid's 2026 FTC settlement over sharing nearly 3 million users' photos with a facial recognition company, I'm not comfortable recommending it for something as private as hookups.

• Hily (added August 2026): I’ve added Hily to our top picks because its free tier is surprisingly generous (up to 100 likes a day!) and its AI safety tech (like Consent Guard) makes it a standout option for casual, blunt daters looking for a fresh alternative to the Big Three.

• Hinge (moved up October 2025): Hinge just keeps getting better, so I’ve bumped it up higher on my list. It still earns its spot for casual dating with personality; its user base is growing, and my recent tests have been surprisingly positive.

Why some popular hookup apps didn't make the cut

You might notice a few apps that pop up in ads or other lists are missing here. That’s intentional. I swipe through the good, the bad, and the downright sketchy so you don’t have to. For an app to make my list, it has to be effective, safe, and worth your time.

Here's a shortlist of apps that didn't make the cut:

• Plenty of Fish: POF's rebrand didn't do it any favors. My last round of testing showed it removed key features like free messaging with non-matches, and I kept running into the same old profiles. (Removed January 2025.)

• Match: Some people swear they've found casual hookups on Match, but that's not what it's for. It's still one of my top picks for a long-term relationship. For a hookup? You're fishing in the wrong pond. (Removed August 2025.)

• Wild: You’ve probably seen ads for this one. On paper, Wild sounds like the perfect casual dating app. In practice, the paywalls are aggressive, the distance filter doesn't work, and you have to pay for anything that's even remotely useful. Unless you're willing to spend serious cash upfront (and hope for the best), the experience feels more limited than with more generous free options like Tinder or Hily.

• DOWN: This app (formerly "Bang With Friends") is known for its simple "Get Down" vs. "Get Date" feature. It sounds clever, but in reality, the experience is messy at best. Many users report feeling scammed by subscriptions that don't deliver matches, or finding that the few real people on there are... let's say "odd." It’s hard to recommend an app when the main user complaint is "Is anyone real?" Hard pass.

• Facebook Dating: Yes, Facebook has a dating section, and it’s surprisingly massive (and completely free, which is huge). While it's a decent option for casual dating, the vibe tends to be a bit more "friends of friends" and "relationship-focused" than the anonymous, no-strings energy you get from apps like Pure or Feeld. (For Mashable's Chance Townsend, signing up was "the most uneventful dating experience" of his life.) It's also added an AI dating assistant and "Meet Cute," which sends you one surprise match a week. It's worth a shot if you're already on Facebook, but it didn't quite crack my top tier for no-strings-attached hookups specifically.