Written by Liam Gaudet ⏐ Senior Editor ⏐ Twitter/X: @LiamGaudetIT
Photo Via EA Sports
Like a lot of young fans, my love for college football was compounded by EA Sports' yearly installation of their NCAA Football series. Many hours of my childhood were spent parked in front of my PlayStation 3, as I attempted to recreate the feeling I got watching college football every Saturday in the Fall vicariously through my own virtual roster. Whether it was through Road to Glory, Dynasty, or simply a casual game, this particular gaming franchise was (and still is) one of my favorite past times. Devastatingly, it would be announced in 2013 that the series would be discontinued after the release of NCAA Football 14, citing issues surrounding name, image and likeness.
For eleven long years, fans of the franchise never seemed to waiver, as the final installment of the game amassed a cult following. Dedicated fans would spend countless hours updating rosters and player ratings every year to keep the game feeling modern despite some of it's technical limitations. The following and commitment this 11 year-old game was able to accrue exponentially over time speaks volumes for the love and tradition of college football that is shared across the nation. Eventually, a team of modders would band together and form CFB Revamped, a collective which created a downloadable modification for the game, allowing users to update textures throughout the game including uniforms, scoreboards, etc. It was evident that the passion never died - and for those who never gave up hope; their patience was about to pay off.
In September of 2019, California became the first state to pass a law allowing college athletes to make money off of their name, image, and likeness. This move proved to be a crucial one, as it would snowball nationwide which led to speculation of the game's possible resurrection. Finally, in February of 2021, EA Sports would announce the return of the series via social media.
It's been a little over three years since that announcement, and what was initially presumed to be a 2023 release was delayed by lawsuits, mainly by the Brandr Group, an NIL agency who had claimed to be representing a select group of programs and players. Eventually, the lawsuit was dropped and the anticipation began to heighten once more. Players were set to receive $600 each, as well as a copy of the game should they choose to opt in.
We got our first taste of what to expect in February, when EA released a teaser trailer featuring the historic Rose Bowl, as well as a few in-game assets. The full reveal was scheduled tentatively in May, and today, we got our first real in-game look at a licensed college football video game for the first time in over a decade.
For Notre Dame fans, seeing that trailer is exciting for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, Notre Dame's player models were seen rocking the Blue and Gold with a bit of a new twist. It had been noticed that Notre Dame's standard "ND" white shoulder patch was now gold, and the white Under Armour Logo near the left collar of the jersey was now gold and centred between the numbers. It's important to remember that all of the uniform information that EA used was sent by the schools featured in the game. Could this possibly mean that Notre Dame plans to make some adjustments to their uniforms come next Fall? Time will certainly tell. Outside of the possible new threads, we also got a revamped look at the stairway featuring the ever-iconic Play Like A Champion Today sign, as players funnelled their way onto the field.
As for the gameplay, it's tough to tell at this stage how polished of a product we can expect, and how different it might be compared to Madden. What we do know, is that classic game modes like Dynasty and Road to Glory are coming back, alongside EA's micro-transaction money printer in Ultimate Team. Dynasty and Road to Glory will now have more intricate dynamics, with player GPA and the transfer portal among some of the features mentioned. EA's new CampusIQ gameplay features are proclaimed to be "powered by a wide range of player ratings that fluctuate throughout a game", which might mimic the "hot" and "cold" player buffs that were featured in earlier renditions of the series. Of course, since the former installment of the game took place during the BCS era, this will be the first game to feature the College Football Playoff, which will come with it's own game mode as well. EA has also introduced a Wear and Tear system, which places emphasis on the substitution of players to ensure they are well rested for crucial moments.
Although the jury may still be out on whether or not EA will do right by one of its most beloved franchises, it is truly without a doubt a massive win for the college football fans who have been waiting patiently for an update. The full game is set to release on July 19th, or July 16th if preordered. Will you be playing?
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