College Football 26 steps onto the gridiron with big cleats to fill this season. Last year’s College Football 25 marked a massive comeback for the franchise, stepping back onto the field after more than a decade away, powered by pure excitement and a heavy dose of nostalgia for fans like me. This year, however, the sentimentality factor is gone, so the deck is a little more stacked against the franchise.
College Football 26 can’t lean on that comeback-story magic, and it needs to stand on its own, and, to my delight, it does. While it doesn’t completely reinvent the playbook, this year’s entry refines just about everything in it. With subtle but smart changes to gameplay, a much-improved presentation, and some much-needed love to legacy features like the addition of the Trophy Room, College Football 26 proves it’s not just back—it’s here to stay. Let’s dive in and see what makes this season’s outing worth suiting up for.
College Football 26 details
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Reviewed on: Xbox Series X
Developer: EA Orlando
Publisher: EA Sports
Genre: Sports Simulation
Available Game Modes: Dynasty Mode, Road to Glory, Exhibition, Ultimate Team, Online Multiplayer
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
College Football 26 gameplay improvements are subtle
College Football 26 doesn’t rip up the gameplay playbook and overhaul everything. Instead, it refines what already works and adds a few key improvements where they count. As a longtime sports sim fan, I’ve probably sunk more hours into Madden and NCAA games than I’d like to admit. From this time, I know what feels good on the virtual gridiron, and the game immediately clicked. The core football engine still feels tight and satisfying, and the strong foundation from last year is still there. The run game is fluid, blocking assignments are mostly reliable, and passing has received a meaningful overhaul.
Defensive improvements
One significant improvement I noticed right away is that defenders can no longer miraculously swat or intercept passes without looking at the play. This year, defenders actually have to see the ball in order to react to it an important addition to the level of realism. If they’re facing the wrong way, tough luck. That being said, higher-rated defensive players still can make bigger plays in key moments, but the unrealistic “sixth sense” is gone for the better.
That single change alone makes deep ball and sideline routes feel far more dynamic and fair. It’s one of those under-the-hood tweaks that does improve the gameplay.
New dynamic substitutions
One of the standout additions this year that keeps the on-field action flowing is “Dynamic Substitutions.” This is a fancy way of saying that your players can now swap out on the fly, without requiring a pause menu or excessive navigation. With a click of your D-Pad it keeps the action moving and adds a nice touch of realism. This is especially helpful when you’re grinding through a long drive or needing to make small adjustments to your defence. That said, it can feel a little chaotic managing who’s in and who’s out. Thankfully, EA included customizable substitution filters and real-time health readouts, so you’re not flying blind. It’s now easier to rotate your linemen and keep their legs fresh.
College Football 26 adds a trophy room
The newly added Trophy Room is also a big plus to the overall package. It’s more than a fancy virtual trophy shelf; it’s a living timeline of your accomplishments. There are 160 rivalry, bowl, and individual award trophies to collect and this displays and profiles them all. Every shiny piece of hardware you earn is stored in one central hub, complete with a brief history of the trophy, accomplishment or rivalry. Much of college football is steeped in history, and this offers a wealth of information that celebrates the legacy, the grind, and the glory of your efforts. I found myself revisiting it more than I expected, checking out my virtual haul. If you are a completist, this also adds significant replay value if you are looking to fill your trophy case.
College Football 26 modes remain the same
While EA didn’t add any new game modes this year, they’ve clearly focused on improving what’s already there. Dynasty Mode is still deep and engaging, it’s always been its all here and more polished than ever. This year, over 300 real-life coaches, each with their unique playbooks and tendencies, make the AI feel smarter, or at least less robotic. Road to Glory has also seen some improvements that bridge the gap between your high school and college career. Here’s a more detailed look at the changes:
Road to Glory now starts in high school
The revamped Road to Glory mode now includes your high school career. You don’t just start as a college freshman anymore; instead, you get to lay the groundwork, choosing goals and playing thematic drives that reflect your strengths (or weaknesses). It’s a small addition, but one that adds a nice touch. I found it genuinely fun to work through those early years—like building your character arc in a football drama. That being said, it would be great to have the option to play full games in your high school career to help dial up the authenticity.
College Football 26 offers even more pageantry and polish
If you’re a sucker for pageantry like I am (and really, what college football fan isn’t?), College Football 26 is the best it’s ever looked. EA Orlando has “gone deep” into the visual playbook, incorporating updated lighting effects, band animations, and stadium-specific details that genuinely make each game feel distinct.
Lighting and stadium fairs add new levels of realism
The most striking upgrade? The lighting effects, specifically the time-of-day lighting. Kickoffs in the evening feel distinctly different across locations. When it comes to stadium customization there are plenty of new additions. For example, Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium now bathes in an intense crimson hue that screams Crimson Tide. Over in Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s spotlight effects add drama to the Tar Heels’ entrance, making it feel like a Broadway show instead of a football game.
And then there are the drone shows added to help mimic their real-life counterparts. These LED aerial displays are the cherry on top. Clemson’s tiger paw drones are pure spectacle, while Ohio State’s Block O and Brutus light formations look great in the night sky. I love the fact that EA Orland went so in-depth with the details on and off the field this year.
College Football 26 audio, the sound of Saturdays
While visuals have taken a step forward, the audio side hasn’t been left behind. The commentary team still provides decent play-by-play, with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer, Desmond Howard, and David Pollack returning. Though there are moments with little situational awareness where you can practically hear the script being read. But that’s par for the course with many sports titles, unfortunately.
What really stands out is the sheer level of team-specific audio polish. From the team entrances, fight songs, and crowd chants, the audio for all 136 schools has been amped up. Teams like South Carolina now have more detailed, accurate soundscapes, including “Sandstorm” blaring in its full glory.
Final thoughts: College Football 26 is a bigger and better experience
College Football 26 doesn’t coast on nostalgia, and that’s a good thing. It improves the gameplay, presentation, and polish in almost every department, proving that this series is more than a one-year wonder. The lack of new modes is a minor disappointment, and occasional legacy bugs and odd AI decisions still persist. But when the ball is snapped, it’s still great football that has been improved in minor but meaningful ways.
| College Football 26 Pros | College Football 26 Cons |
| + Solid improvements to gameplay mechanics | – No new game modes |
| + Trophy Room is a great addition for collectors | – Commentary can feel repetitive |
| + Best-in-class stadium presentation and visuals | – Occasional AI hiccups |
Overall assessment of College Football 26
Gameplay: 4.25/5
Graphics: 4.5/5
Sound: 4/5
Lasting appeal/Replayability: 4/5
Overall rating: 4.25/5 (85%)
As a lifelong fan of football sims, I’m genuinely excited to see where the series goes from here. For now, College Football 26 is a worthy sequel that plays a smarter, sharper game. It may not be perfect, but it’s good enough to keep me coming back. If you’re a fan of the college game—or just a sports sim nut like me—College Football 26 deserves a spot in your rotation.
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