Zach Ruppert

We waited over a decade for the return of college football, and College Football 26 feels like a slap in the face to fans. This game is a lazy, recycled mess, and it’s clear EA put in the bare minimum effort just to cash in on nostalgia. They hyped up “authentic college atmosphere,” but what we got is a dead stadium with copy-paste crowd noise and zero soul. No traditions. No excitement. Just stale, recycled animations from Madden and cookie-cutter presentations. Dynasty Mode? A joke. It’s stripped down, lifeless, and clearly unfinished. Recruiting is shallow, customization is practically nonexistent, and the entire mode feels like a beta version of something that was never finished. Road to Glory? Don’t even bother. It’s the most hollow single-player experience I’ve seen in years. No meaningful choices, no immersion, no point. And let’s talk gameplay — it’s a glitchy disaster. The AI is dumb as bricks, tackling animations are broken, and players warp across the field like it’s 2008. Half the time it feels like I’m fighting the controls more than the opponent. Add in constant crashes and connection issues online, and it’s borderline unplayable. This wasn’t a love letter to college football fans — it was a cash grab dressed in nostalgia and hype. EA had years to get this right, and instead gave us a glorified Madden reskin with college jerseys. If you haven’t bought this yet — don’t. Save your money. EA should be ashamed of this one.