Set to launch worldwide on July 19, a full reveal of the modes and features of EA Sports College Football 25 was announced on Friday.

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes will be available in College Football 25, according to a release. Those two modes will allow players “to construct their own powerhouse program as a created coach or vie for the Heisman as a player” in what the video game introduces as CampusIQ, which will be “a suite of features that brings to life the true depth of college football through wide open, fast-paced gameplay across all 134 FBS schools in all areas of the game.”

READ: ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery introduce Venu Sports streaming service

Over 10,000 players have opted into College Football 25, it was announced in March. Any student-athlete who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used will receive $600 and a copy of the video game.

College Football 25 will also offer “the all-new Road to the College Football Playoff and College Football Ultimate Team” that will “bring fresh online experiences and ways to play.”

“EA SPORTS College Football is BACK! We’ve felt the passion and anticipation of college football fans every step of the way since we first announced this game, and we’re ecstatic to finally be able to show everyone what we’ve been building,” EA Sports SVP and Group GM Daryl Holt stated in a release. “College Football 25 is built with authenticity at its core, inspired by experiences our fans have loved from our games, and fully evolved to reflect modern college football – all of which will immerse them in the sights, sounds, and true-to-life gameplay of the sport they love.”

READ: Northwestern announces 2024 schedule, will play 2 games at Wrigley Field

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

EA Sports unveiled the cover of College Football 25 on Thursday, showcasing Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter. They will star on the covers of the Standard and Deluxe editions.

“Donovan, Quinn and Travis are extraordinary talents who impressed and entertained millions of college football fans on the field last season and are poised to do so again this year,” Holt stated in a release. “We’re proud to be able to incorporate thousands of current athletes in College Football 25, and featuring this trio of playmakers and their iconic college programs on the cover is a perfect fit as we usher in a new era for EA SPORTS and college football. I can’t wait for the world to learn more about the game tomorrow.”

ESPN broadcasters such as Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will “call marquee matchups,” along with other broadcast teams such as Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack will comprise the virtual booth and “take the mic for all other games.”

Among the gameplay features include Homefield Advantage, which will allow players to “through distractions like screen shaking, missing pre-play icons, and moving play art.” Additional features consist of Pre-Snap Recognition and the Wear & Tear System, which means virtual player stamina is affected by more play so it will be important to “manage your players’ health, limit fatigue, assess risk of injury, and avoid on-field mistakes by using strategic substitutions to ensure your players are at their best when it counts the most.”

The traditions within college football that make it one of a kind will be immersed in College Football 25. Along with team mascots and fight songs, the video game will include “unique team run-outs, rivalry rituals, synchronized crowd-chants, loudness meters as well as real game-day audio.”

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes are also offered in the video game alongside Road to the College Football Playoff, where players will “experience a new way to play competitively across consoles” and “earn rank by upsetting the toughest opponents and securing the votes you need to progress and level up divisions,” as well as College Football Ultimate Team.

College Football Ultimate Team will allow players to “build your dream team of college football stars and legends” in Solo Challenges or H2H seasons, and they can test their skill across consoles “in more competitive formats like College Football Ultimate Team Champs and Champs Gauntlet.”

EA Sports College Football 25 is available for pre-order now. According to Matt Brown of Extra Points, the video game will not be available for PC at launch. EA Sports is also offering an MVP bundle on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S that will include deluxe editions of College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25 “with 3-day early access and unlocks a multitude of benefits across both titles.”

The post EA Sports College Football 25 features, gameplay shared in full reveal appeared first on Saturday Glory.

EA Sports announced Monday on social media that “10,000+” student-athletes “are in the game.” It was announced in February that any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

READ: 5 takeaways from the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine 

“10k and counting… pretty pretttyyy good,” @EASPORTSCollege posted on X.

All 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools will be available to play in the new video game.

READ: Texas WR Xavier Worthy breaks 40-yard dash record with 4.21 time at NFL Combine

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit will make up “the voices” of “College Football 25.”

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

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College football players around the country shared on social media Thursday their participation in the upcoming EA Sports video game “College Football 25.”

EA Sports confirmed Thursday that all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams will be available to play in the new game.

READ: Reports: CFP discusses 14-team Playoff possibilities

More information about the game will be available in May, according to a release.

Players such as Michigan’s Will Johnson and Ohio State transfer Quinshon Judkins posted on X a graphic designed in their team’s colors promoting the video game.

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit shared posts confirming they’ll also appear as “one of the voices” of the game. Herbstreit posted “I’m so excited to FINALLY announce that I’m part of @EASPORTSCollege. I’m proud to be a partner and one of the voices of the game once again – my 14th year in that role.”

According to Michael Rothstein of ESPN, any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

Additional opportunities such as advertisements, promotion, social media posts and other avenues will be available for players to have a chance to make more, according to ESPN.

READ: Alabama announces JaMarcus Shephard, Nick Sheridan join offensive coaching staff

No Football Championship Subdivision school will be available to play when the game launches, according to ESPN.

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

According to Ryan Kryska of The Associated Press, users who could create and add players of real-life college football players who did not opt into the “College Football 25” video game will be blocked from doing so.

The post ‘I’m in the game’: CFB players share their participation in upcoming EA Sports ‘College Football 25’ appeared first on Saturday Glory.

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Batoon will join Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers program.

Batoon spent the past three seasons as defensive coordinator at South Alabama. He was a Broyles Award nominee for top assistant coach in 2021.

Batoon brings over 30 years of coaching experience. Both he and Drinkwitz worked together at Arkansas State.

Batoon served as assistant athletic director, defensive assistant, safeties and special teams coordinator at Ole Miss from 2012-16, according to Joey Van Zummeren of Sports Illustrated.

Batoon then became as assistant coach at Florida Atlantic in 2017. Prior to South Alabama, he also coached at Hawaii and Liberty.

The post Reports: Missouri to hire South Alabama’s Corey Batoon as next defensive coordinator appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Each member of the Associated Press Top 25 Poll top-four didn’t exactly run away with their outings, as No. 1 Georgia battled a 14-3 halftime deficit, No. 2 Michigan held a 7-6 second-quarter lead over Bowling Green, No. 3 Texas was tied at 10 with Wyoming in the fourth quarter and No. 4 Florida State allowed 19 unanswered points to end its 31-29 win over Boston College. 

PODCAST: College Football Needs Coaches Like Lane Kiffin and Deion Sanders

The tight competition led to the Longhorns and Seminoles flip-flopping in the rankings, and No. 10 Oregon entered the top-10 by steamrolling ahead past Hawaii 55-10. 

Here are some noteworthy quotes as focus turns from Week 3 to Week 4.    

Tim Albin, Ohio 

The Bobcats hosted Iowa State and came out with their first Power 5 win since 2017. 

Albin and Ohio saw a scoreless first half turn into a defensive showdown between the two teams. Ohio was edged in total yards 271 to 247. 

Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke found receiver Sam Wiglusz on a 5-yard touchdown pass with 11:18 left in the third quarter, and kicker Gianni Spetic booted a 27-yard field goal to claim a 10-0 lead. 

It was enough for the win as Iowa State’s comeback bid fell short. Ohio intercepted the Cyclones after their missed game-tying field goal, staking a big claim in the win. 

“I could not be more jubilant for our fans, this university and Athens,” Albin said. “It was electric out there, unbelievable showing, noon kickoff against a really a great opponent. Both teams, I thought, defensively going in it was going to be like that. I really did. Nobody was panicked at halftime with the score and just the defensive effort kept us in it at halftime, a few adjustments. We were able to get enough things done offense to to get some points on the board, and I could not be happier with the team and how they won.” 

Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame 

This week’s big top-10 showdown will take place in South Bend, Indiana. 

No. 6 Ohio State will complete its home-and-home series with No. 9 Notre Dame on Saturday night when the two teams meet for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

READ: SMU raises $100 million in 1 week to support transition to ACC

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has the chance to get back at his alma mater one year after the Buckeyes spoiled his head coaching debut, and Freeman had kind words for Ohio State’s program. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing Ryan Day again,” Freeman said. “He’s done an unbelievable job leading that program. I’ve told him every time I talk to him that he’s just done a tremendous job of really leading that program. So we know it’s going to be a really good opponent with a great coaching staff, and we’re looking forward to that.”

READ: Reports: Hunter to miss Colorado’s next three games due to injury

Freeman said “a lot of different factors” go into the differences between last year’s matchup and this season’s, but experience is the biggest key of them all. 

“You have a year under your belt. It’s not the first game of the year,” Freeman said. “You’ve been able to develop an identity as a program with these first four games and so it’s a lot different than what it was last year being the first game of that season for me and the first game of the year.” 

Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss 

Lane Kiffin appears to be readying for someone else. 

Someone else as in Alabama and its defensive coordinator, who are next for No. 15 Ole Miss on Saturday. Kevin Steele is Alabama’s defensive coordinator, and he’s in his first season in the role. 

The Rebels climbed to No. 15 in the latest AP Poll after defeating Georgia Tech 48-23 behind Jaxson Dart’s 251 passing yards and the team’s 299 rushing yards also led by 136 from Dart. 

According to Ben Garrett of On3 Sports, Kiffin and the Rebels seem to be preparing to play an Alabama defense led by Crimson Tide cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson rather than Steele. 

“We’ve been against Kevin a number of times,” Kiffin said. “Worked with him at Alabama and against him at Auburn and LSU. There seems like there’s been a change there. I don’t know what happened after the Texas game, but our guys watching the TV copy and schematically in this last game, certainly seems like T-Rob’s now calling the defense. We played him before at South Carolina, so we’re preparing accordingly for him calling the defense. He’s done a good job, too, and they’ve got really good players.” 

Harrison Mevis, Missouri 

Mevis broke the Southeastern Conference record with a 61-yard field goal as time expired on Saturday. 

Missouri needed a big fourth quarter in order to upset then-No. 15 Kansas State. It trailed 24-17 with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter, and it came down to special teams for the win.

READ: Missouri uses walk-off field goal to beat No. 15 Kansas State

Mevis’ 12-point day completed with two additional field goals, an average of 64.3 yards across six kickoffs and three converted extra points. But his final field goal sealed the win and the upset. 

“I kind of forgot everything, but I was locked in,” Mevis said. “I knew what I had to do. I knew that, give the defense credit, they went, made them go three and out two times. (It) gave me a chance for the kick. So, really, it’s just doing the little things right. It comes down to the little things, it comes down to snap-hold operation, it comes down to me hitting a clean ball, it comes down to me getting through the ball, and you know, all those things clicked, and we made the kick.”

The post Quotables: Week 3 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Opening kickoffs took place around the country last weekend, and there is more set to take place later this week. 

A pair of Associated Press Top 25 programs picked up wins in No. 6 USC and No. 13 Notre Dame. Both starting quarterbacks threw for four touchdowns, while Caleb Williams began his Heisman Trophy defense campaign and Sam Hartman welcomed himself to Notre Dame. 

Here are some of the top statistical performances from Week 0. 

Zachariah Branch, USC 

Among this week’s top performers includes true freshman Zachariah Branch of USC. 

In his first collegiate game, Branch scored two touchdowns, including a 96-yard kickoff return that he took back to the end zone. 

Branch caught all four of his targets for 58 yards, which were the second most among Trojans behind Tahj Washington who caught 85. Branch converted three first downs for USC, averaging 14 1/2 yards per catch. 

He leads the NCAA with 232 all-purpose yards after his college debut. That’s quite the start for the USC freshman wide receiver. 

Audric Estime, Notre Dame 

While Hartman paced the Fighting Irish through the air, Estime kept the balance on the ground. 

It wasn’t an entirely even offensive game for Notre Dame. Hartman and Steve Angeli passed for 253 yards while Notre Dame collected 191 rushing yards. 

Estime racked up 95 of those yards — and had 26 more receiving. 

Hartman and Notre Dame handed the ball off to Estime six times on the game’s opening drive. The junior ball-carrier capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown rush after setting himself up on the previous play by running for seven yards. 

Estime is currently tied for fourth in the NCAA behind his 95-yard rushing performance. He began the season on a high note that Notre Dame will look toward as it continues its run to start the year. 

Shomari Lawrence, Florida International University 

The NCAA leader in rushing yards, Lawrence and FIU battled Louisiana Tech in an early conference matchup. 

Lawrence debuted for the Panthers, making his move from South Dakota of the Football Championship Subdivision. 

The 6-foot running back broke off for a 67-yard touchdown rush less than one minute into the game’s opening drive.

Lawrence had runs of 16 and nine yards thereafter and converted on two first downs. He totaled 15 carries and averaged 9.27 yards per attempt, almost four yards more than Estime who is the next closest running back. 

While Louisiana Tech gave up a lead it once held by as much as 17-3, Lawrence gave an early look at what he can do in a Panthers uniform. 

Isaiah Tufaga, Hawaii 

Tufaga represents one of two defensive players who round out this week’s stat pack. 

The sixth-year linebacker Tufaga had a busy season opener against Vanderbilt. He led the Rainbow Warriors with eight tackles, and several came after passes that showed Tufaga’s ability to run across the field. 

Tufaga also leads the NCAA after recording a pair of sacks. He stopped Vanderbilt quarterback AJ Swann twice in the second quarter for a pair of 8-yard losses. 

The two sacks made up three of Tufaga’s tackles for losses, which are also an NCAA high after Week 0. Hawaii’s second half comeback bid may’ve fallen short, but Tufaga played well and led the defense with his ability to fly to the football. 

De’Rickey Wright, Vanderbilt 

A 6-foot-4 safety playing in the Commodores’ secondary, Wright patrolled the field and came up with two interceptions to lead the way to a 42-35 victory. 

With 6:12 left to play in the second quarter, Hawaii crept the football up as close as Vanderbilt’s 1-yard line. 

Wright swooped in on a first-and-five situation and snagged the football, bringing down his first interception and resulting in a touchback for the Commodores offense to begin.

Wright also had his hand involved in a number of other plays. He recorded three tackles, a pass break-up and a forced fumble, all the while helping Vanderbilt maintain a lead for the majority of the game. 

His second interception came in the final two minutes of the game when Hawaii quarterback Dalen Morrs made his only throw of the game. Wright caught the ball with 1:43 left to play, and Vanderbilt held onto it the rest of the way. 

The post Stat Pack: Week 0 appeared first on Saturday Glory.

It’s not quite kegs and eggs, but we had to grow up sometime.

Saturday is Week Zero for college football, and while it’s not the best week of the season, it’s better than the feckless, Fickell-less hellscape we’ve been living in since January.

But we’re here now, and you better believe we’re going to enjoy every moment of it.

Each week of this college football season I’ll be taking a look at the 10 best games to watch, and throwing in a few questionably valid tips here and there.

I would say that everything that follows from here is for entertainment purposes only, but that sounds both arrogant and presumptuous.

Saturday August 26

Chaminade-Madonna (FL) vs. St. Frances Academy (MD) | 12:00 pm | ESPN

Look, when it’s Week Zero and you’ve come up with a gimmick of where you have to write about 10 games and there aren’t 10 college games to write about, you dip into the high school ranks. I’m basically a McDonald’s from 1991 looking for employees. I cannot promise competitive wages, paid time off, or opportunity for advancement, but fortunately gas is only $1.47 a gallon in this timeline, so it won’t cost you that much to get here. I can, however, give you every other weekend off, provided you can get somebody to cover your shift for the weekends you won’t be working. We also provide a 15% discount on meals for employees (No McDLTs). Anyway, back to the present day, you’re gonna be so ramped up after watching College Gameday that you’re going to need something to watch RIGHT EFFING NOW. I give you Chaminade-Madonna against St. Frances. Two of the best high school programs around. Chaminade-Madonna has the best receiver room in the nation that isn’t located in Columbus. That room includes five-star prospects Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State commit) and JoJo Trader (Miami commit). Meanwhile, St. Frances has a defense with more future collegians than a country club daycare. It’ll be fun. This will scratch your itch better than the ruler you keep on your desk.

Navy vs. Notre Dame (-21) (Dublin) | 2:30 pm | NBC |

The Irish were favored by 16.5 over Navy last year, and nearly covered, beating the Midshipmen 35-32. That game came after an oddly dominating 35-14 win over Clemson where the Irish treated the Tigers like a Midwesterner treats a Myrtle Beach Motel 6 after an extra large Papa John’s and a 2-liter of Big K cola. There will be no let down this week, unless the Notre Dame players end up in one too many pubs. I have to assume there are more things to do in Ireland than visit pubs and golf in the rain, but I’ve never seen proof in the movies. There is no better time to play an option team than in the season opener, so give Notre Dame credit for not being idiots here. They’ve been preparing for this game for months. Let’s just expect a slow start offensively for both squads, which leads me to (1) liking the under on 49.5.

UTEP at Jacksonville State (+1.5) | 5:30 pm | CBSSN

Jacksonville State is the very last team in Phil Steele’s preview magazine, which is like being the last kid picked in fifth-grade dodgeball. Even behind the kid who strikes out in kickball (that would be Sam Houston, by the way). This is Jacksonville State’s first game as a member of the FBS, so this is going to be the biggest thing to hit Jacksonville, Alabama since Cooter Brown’s Rib Shack opened 23 years ago. Rich Rodriguez is the head coach at Jacksonville State. He went 9-2 last year in his first year with the program. If there’s one thing we know about RichRod, it’s that if you hand him the keys, he can win anywhere in the country.*
*Offer not valid in Ann Arbor

UMass at New Mexico State (-7) | 7:00 pm | ESPN

This game features UMass head coach Don Brown against New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill. If they were to partner up in a Euchre tournament and auction off the opportunity to spend the evening playing against them, I would spend an unfortunate amount of money to take part. I’d love to just sit and talk with them both over beers and cards. Plus I’d feel pretty good about my team’s chances of winning because you know Don Brown is always getting his partner euchred. The frustration from Jerry Kill would be intense. “How the hell are you going alone when I have the Right and the Left, Don!?” Also, (2) let’s go with the Aggies -7 here.

Ohio at San Diego State (-3) | 7:00 pm | FS1

Never before has an Ohio vs. San Diego State game been so anticipated. For one, there’s not a lot else going on. For two, this could be SDSU head coach Brady Hoke’s first real opportunity at a win over “Ohio.” If you’re a Bobcat fan, you just have to hope your team doesn’t get distracted by all of the amazing things to do in California and not bother to show up for a sporting event. Don’t be surprised when there is a vocal presence from the Ohio fans in the crowd. It’s a week-long drive back and forth, but it’s better than going to work. If you’re looking for some action, (3) bang the over on 0.5 touchdown receptions for Bobcat receiver Sam Wiglusz.

IMG Academy (FL) vs. St. Joseph’s Prep (PA) (Ocean City, NJ) | 7:00 pm | ESPN2

Yes, it’s another high school game, but there will be some talent on hand. IMG generally has half of Florida’s top 30 prospects. St. Joseph’s Prep has all kinds of FBS talent on hand as well. Interestingly, this could be a matchup that is watched closely in the Ohio State receivers room as St. Joseph’s Prep is where All-American Marvin Harrison, Jr. went to school, and IMG is where Marvin Harrison, Jr. Jr. went to school. You probably won’t tune in because you’ll be up to your ears in New Mexico State football. Just be careful not to let Aggie Football actually get into your ears, however, because it will lay eggs.

Hawaii at Vanderbilt (-17.5) | 7:30 pm | SECN

Vanderbilt went into Hawaii last year as 9.5-point and won 63-10, so 17.5 points seems very doable. (4) Some folks may have already gotten in at -17, but 17.5 still seems fine. Vandy is coming off of a season where they went 2-1 in their final three games against Kentucky, Florida, and Tennessee last year. That’s the kind of momentum that could mean something for any program other than Vanderbilt.

San Jose State at USC (-30.5) | 8:00 pm | P12N

You know those guys in The Lord of the Rings whose sole purpose is to sit up in the signal towers 24 hours a day looking to see if any other towers miles away raise a fire to signal danger or the need for help? That’s kind of how I feel about this game because I am one of the tower watchers who actually has the Pac 12 Network. I will be watching this fire and signaling to others via Twitter about what’s happening. Like, “Oh no, Gollum just went for 65 yards up the middle against Alex Grinch’s defense. Muster the Rohirrim!” When he is healthy, USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the best player in the country, so I think it’s okay to have a lot riding on him this week against the Spartans. That includes a five-leg parlay of (5) USC -10.5 in the first quarter, (6) USC over 40.5 points, (7) USC over 13.5 first quarter points, (8) USC -16.5 in the first half, and of course it wouldn’t be a USC game without also taking a sniff at their defense, so let’s add (9) San Jose State over 9.5 points. Watch for the towers, my friends, and be prepared to act.

FIU at Louisiana Tech (-11.5) | 9:00 pm | CBSSN

This game went to two overtimes last year, with FIU coming out with the 42-34 win. Former Texas Tech quarterback Sonny Cumbie is in his second season as the head coach at La Tech and my loyalty to him goes back to my old college fantasy football days. He may finally have a quarterback now with former Boise State Bronco Hank Bachmeier, who has had some good moments as a starter in his career. He has 13 career games with at least 250 yards passing. Florida International, meanwhile, hasn’t won a game since that double-overtime outing against the Bulldogs. Let’s go ahead and get back on the Sonny Cumbie train and (10) lay the 11.5. You only go broke once, right?

Mater Dei Catholic (CA) at Carlsbad (CA) | 10:00 pm | ESPN2

If you want to know why USC and UCLA bolted for the Big Ten, here’s one glimpse as to the reason — 95% of America can’t watch the University of Southern California play on Saturday night, but they can watch two California high schools play against each other. Carlsbad features five-star Alabama quarterback commit Julian Sayin, who will sign with Nick Saban in December but eventually play for Lane Kiffin when Saban retires.

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