Fired up my console last night, scrolling through old NCAA 14 highlights. Felt like digging up a time capsule—pixelated jerseys, generic rosters, that weird QB throwing motion. Now EA’s dropping College Football 26 this July, and man, it hits different. Real player names. Actual faces. After 11 years of legal limbo, we finally get a college game that doesn’t treat athletes like ghosts.

Remember creating fake recruits because the real ones sued? Now these kids get $600 and a copy of the game. It’s not NFL money, but seeing Quinn Ewers launch bombs in CFB 25 felt… human. Like we’re playing people, not just concepts. Makes me wonder—does this NIL shift make dynasty modes more legit, or just EA’s wallet fatter?

But here’s the gut punch: scrolling through draft projections while hearing about Jeremiah Kelly’s passing. Eighteen. Freshman lineman. Never got to see his name in a game. Makes those “Team Builder” modes feel heavy. We argue over which school produces more first-rounders—Ohio State vs Texas vs Georgia—but how often do we think about the kids behind the stats?

Playing CFB 25’s career mode last week, I grinded through spring practices with a 3-star recruit. Felt weirdly connected to Kelly’s story—dude was living that grind for real. EA’s comeback isn’t just about updated rosters or smoother tackles. It’s catching passes in a digital stadium where someone’s cousin, brother, friend might’ve stood.

Used to mock “legacy teams” in old NCAA games—those powerhouse rosters stacked with fake All-Americans. Now? Bama’s got six draft prospects. USC bred six No. 1 picks. The new game’s success hinges on balancing this raw talent showcase with… well, not turning tragedies like Kelly’s into clickbait. Can pixelated helmets honor real heartbeats?

Here’s hoping CFB 26 lets us smash tackles without smashing spirits. That dynasty modes celebrate tomorrow’s stars without forgetting yesterday’s losses. Game launches July 10th. I’ll be there—controller in hand, thinking about Avon High’s state champ turned Bearcat. Ball’s in EA’s court now.