Millions of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X users got their first look at College Football 26 on Monday.
EA Sports launched the College Football 26 video game for users who preordered the deluxe edition. College Football 26 is available everywhere on Thursday.
After a dozen years of discontinuing its college football video game, then called NCAA Football, EA Sports revived the franchise and renamed it College Football.
The first rendition of College Football was released last season and the wildly popular video game created by EA Sports made $500 million in nearly the first two weeks. Players who opted for EA Sports use their name and likeness in College Football 25 received $600 and a free copy of the game.
This year, players who are in the game will receive $1,500, which is more than double the amount given to them last year; only FBS teams are in the game. EA Sports is also paying schools royalties depending on how much the team is used in the game.
People are also reading…
For the first time ever, College Football 26 is also adding head coaches and coordinators. Arizona head coach Brent Brennan, offensive coordinator Seth Doege and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales are in College Football 26. Colorado’s Deion Sanders and North Carolina’s Bill Belichick opted out of the video game.

This image provided by EA Sports shows NCAA college football players Alabama’s Ryan Williams, left, and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26 standard edition.
“I’ve had a bunch of recruits tell me, ‘You’re in a video game!’" Doege said last month. “I just hope I call good plays on there. It’s awesome and I’m excited about it. As a player, I was way more excited than a coach. Growing up and being a part of the game was special.
“I remember when it first came out, we all ran to buy it to see our ratings. Half the team felt disrespected. That was a big discussion in the locker room, how the speed or the awareness was disrespectful. It’s fun to clown on your teammates who felt disrespected by their ratings. As a player, it’s a dream come true. Now, it’s just about calling good plays.â€
Added Gonzales: “Those people are smart, because I have nephews that want to buy the game solely to put a hat on me backwards, because I will not wear a hat backwards. ... They probably sold another 50 copies to my family just because they want to send me screenshots of what they did to me. It’s fun and it’s cool stuff. ... I’m excited to see how they make me look. Hopefully, they took pictures when I was in better shape than my worst shape. We’ll see.â€

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita throws the ball during spring football practice at Dick Tomey Field, March 25.
Arizona redshirt junior quarterback Noah Fifita is the highest-rated Wildcat with an 87 overall player rating; he had an 89 player rating last year. Last season, Arizona had three players with a 90-plus rating: wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (94), cornerback Tacario Davis (92) and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea.
Arizona freshman wide receiver Isaiah Mizell is the Wildcats’ fastest player with a 95 speed rating. Center Grayson Stovall was rated Arizona’s best blocker with a 90 block rating. Linebacker Taye Brown has Arizona’s best tackle rating (88).
Surprisingly, Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith, who’s one of six UA players attending Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas this week, wasn’t considered a top 10 player on the Wildcats’ roster in College Football 26; he received a 78 overall rating.
Here’s Arizona’s 10 highest-rated players in College Football 26:
Quarterback Noah Fifita (87)
Running back Ismail Mahdi (87)
Wide receiver Luke Wysong (86)
Defensive end Tre Smith (86)
Safety Dalton Johnson (85)
Running back Kedrick Reescano (83)
Tight end Keyan Burnett (83)
Wide receiver Kris Hutson (83)
Cornerback Jay’Vion Cole (82)
Defensive back Treydan Stukes (82)
Contact Justin Spears, the Star’s Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports