EA Sports College Football 25: Gameplay Details and What to Expect

After an eleven-year hiatus, EA Sports is bringing back college football to the gaming world with EA Sports College Football 25. The return comes after Electronic Arts (EA) settled a lawsuit brought by former college football players who argued their name, image, and likeness (NIL) were used without permission or compensation. This article delves into the gameplay details, features, and what players can anticipate from this highly anticipated release.

Background and Development

Following the release of the series' previous entry in 2013, EA Sports faced legal challenges regarding the use of player likenesses. Initially, player names and likenesses were not planned for inclusion in the game. Several schools, including Notre Dame, Tulane, and Northwestern, initially refused to join the game until NIL rules were finalized. EA Sports responded by stating they were closely monitoring developments and were prepared to include players should the opportunity arise.

The landscape shifted significantly with the 2021 Supreme Court case NCAA v. Alston and subsequent interim NIL policies adopted by the NCAA. These changes paved the way for EA Sports to include real players in the game, compensating them for their NIL rights.

In an interview with ESPN.com, EA Sports vice president and general manager Daryl Holt announced that the game would be released in the summer. On February 22, EA Sports confirmed that all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs would be featured in EA Sports College Football 25, while the 128 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs would not be included at launch.

Commentary Team and Initial Gameplay Reveal

ESPN's lead college football commentary team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will be featured as commentators. Herbstreit was a commentator in EA's original NCAA Football series until its hiatus after NCAA Football 14.

A 21-minute gameplay trailer was premiered, featuring YouTuber Bordeaux and cover athlete Donovan Edwards. The trailer showcased raw gameplay, with Edwards winning both games played. An Ultimate Team Deep Dive was posted the day after the trailer release.

Early Access and Content Creator Impressions

Select YouTubers and Twitch streamers in EA's Creator Network program gained early access to a nearly final edition of the game. These content creators uploaded and streamed rebuilds, player careers, and raw gameplay on various platforms.

General Gameplay Impressions

The in-game playing experience is incredibly smooth and realistic. Running the ball is actually fun, with well-done blocking AI that rewards players for hitting the hole. The game features new physics-based tackling, based on where and how hard a hit is made, that looks much more realistic than Madden 24. Breaking tackles or falling forward through them becomes more likely if you follow blockers correctly.

However, playing defense is tougher. Players who relied on the Hit Stick will need to adjust their strategies. The right joystick helps switch between defensive players more quickly, aiding in the secondary and other situations requiring close control of multiple players.

Wear and Tear System

The new Wear and Tear system introduces a layer of realism to player health. Not all hits are equal, and if a player takes big hits, specific body parts on the model turn orange and then red on the play screen, indicating an increased chance of injury. A player’s Strength attribute influences their ability to withstand impact, with bigger players having more Strength. Using smaller players, like a wide receiver, at quarterback and running the option increases their injury risk. The longer the game, the higher the chances of injury.

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Passing Game and Kicking Revamp

The passing game has been revamped, focusing on the quarterback's ability to layer the football. A meter appears above the receiver when throwing, similar to an option in Madden 24. Tapping or holding a button determines the throw's power, but holding the button to the meter's end can impact accuracy.

Kicking also features a new meter with a ball that rocks left and right. Players click and hold to set the accuracy, and then the power meter goes up. Overfilling the power meter into the red can negatively affect accuracy.

Playbooks and Offensive Styles

College Football 25 features 134 different playbooks, part of 10 different offensive styles. The playbooks have always differentiated college football games from Madden, and that’s the case again. There are different menus for plays, ranging from coach suggestions to formations to concepts and more. The RPO options include four different kinds of plays: read, peek, alert and glance.

Pre-Snap Options

Players have more capabilities before the snap. Pass protection can be adjusted to go in a specific direction, an improved process from Madden 24. Custom stems allow adjustments to how far downfield an out route goes when calling a hot route. Senior quarterbacks can assess the possibility of a blitz or a certain kind of defense better than freshmen.

Custom playbooks and audibles are also included. There’s also a two-minute warning, which will be new to college football. Stadium Pulse is back, with the loudest stadiums felt through the vibrating controller.

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Visual and Auditory Experience

The pageantry and environments differentiate college football from other sports, and the video game reflects that. EA Sports used over 1,000 photos per school to create 150 different stadiums. The game took so long to make because it had to be created from scratch.

The average team has four helmets, three jerseys, and three pants. Some have 20-plus options. The game captures the individual stitching in the jerseys because EA Sports employs a Creaform 3D handheld scanner that’s normally used for aerospace parts. Those differences are noticeable in this game.

The crowds are also unique. Michigan fans have the maize pom-poms. Missouri fans have the tiger tails. There are unique hand signs and Surrender Cobras. The student sections are positioned correctly, and those fans will be seen standing during the game. Opposing fans and bands are also positioned in the correct spots in stadiums. Special crowd colors will happen for the biggest games in Dynasty mode.

What makes this game feel as real as anything is the sound. You really notice it when music kicks in after the opening kickoff. While “Enter Sandman” is not in the game, “Zombie Nation,” “Sandstorm,” “Tsunami” and “Mo Bamba” are. Beaver Stadium plays “Zombie Nation” after Penn State touchdowns. Every school has unique fan chants, as EA acquired thousands of assets from schools and in many cases had staff members replicate the cheers for recording. The studio also recorded 41 real game crowds over the last two years, from big to small programs.

Commentary and Presentation

Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit provide commentary for the game. ESPN itself is not in this game as a brand, but its commentators are. There is no ESPN logo on the score bug, which has been relocated to the bottom of the screen. There is no “College GameDay”. Several camera options can be flipped through quickly with the arrow pad. Most sit at different height levels behind the quarterback, but a broadcast-ish option from the side of the field is available.

What's Not Included

Mascot mode is not in the game. Players do not have X-Factors like in past Madden games. Online Dynasty mode cannot be played across consoles, but that and Mascot mode could come in future games.

Players will not be able to edit the attributes of real-life players in the rosters. You can edit created players, but there supposedly will be blocks to keep you from making a player like Arch Manning, who did not opt into the game.

Ultimate Team and Team Builder

Details on Ultimate Team and college football legends who could be in it were not available, nor was there more information about Team Builder, which allows gamers to create schools. But both features will be in the game.

Pre-Order and Deluxe Edition Content

Several pre-order and Deluxe Edition offers are available for EA Sports College Football 25. These offers often expire upon the game's release and are good only for new purchases at participating retailers.

To access pre-order content, players must redeem their single-use code (if required), log into the game, and log into Ultimate Team mode while connected to EA servers. Pre-order content typically includes:

Alma Mater Ultimate Team Pack (Choice of 1 out of 134 player items)
Cover Athlete Ultimate Team Pack (choice of 1 of 3 player items)
Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item

The Deluxe Edition may include additional content such as:

Heisman Hopeful Ultimate Team Pack (Choice of 1 out of 5 Player Items)
4600 College Football Points
Up to 3 days early access to the Product

All pre-order and Deluxe Edition content is for use with one EA account and is non-transferrable. All player items and packs are for use in College Football Ultimate Team (“CUT”). All CUT player items are non-auctionable and non-tradeable. Access to content may require registration with a single-use code.

Legal and Technical Requirements

Acceptance of EA User Agreement (terms.ea.com) and Privacy & Cookie Policy (privacy.ea.com) is required to play. An internet connection is required. EA and applicable platform accounts may be required for online features and/or pre-order content. Age restrictions apply. Mandatory content updates may be downloaded automatically, require additional storage, incur bandwidth usage fees, and require an additional purchase to access. EA may retire online features with 30 days notice at ea.com/service-updates.

Post-Launch Updates

There will be player updates throughout the real season as EA sends out patches. If a freshman breaks out, EA will be able to update the rosters to reflect that. The dream for future games is that if a new trick play happens on a Saturday, EA may be able to push it out a few days later.

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