Review of College Football 26 in Progress

Oh man, sophomore slump, am I right? Sometimes I think it’s just a fancy way to say, “We got too comfy too fast.” Like, have you ever heard a band’s second album and thought, “Meh”? Happens in sports games too. Anyway, College Football 26 is what we’re on about, and it’s got me wondering if it’s gonna fall flat or keep the vibe going from that huge hit College Football 25 had. You know, everyone was hyped for it after such a long wait since NCAA 14. Yeah, people were craving something fresh, like the smell of a new car. (If you’ve ever sniffed a new car and thought, “Why does this smell so darn good?” you get me.)

So here’s the lowdown. I’m not super deep into College Football 26 yet. I’ve been sidetracked, thanks to wrapping up my review of Mecha Break, which, just saying, was a bit of a wild ride. But I’m slowly sinking my teeth into this one. It’s like trying to figure out if the car you just bought can handle long road trips or if the wheels will fall off halfway through. No clue yet, but I’m hopeful—or maybe just curious?

Now, talking about College Football 25, man, I remember this dude saying he bought a $500 console just to dive into it. Seriously. Kind of makes you wonder if non-gamers dig it? Or if they’re just banging their heads against the wall. Like, the NCAA stuff is supposed to be for everyone, but if you’re not clued up on EA’s games, it might be like wading through thick mud. If you’re hardcore about college football, though, and just want to fire up Dynasty mode and build a school, you’ll have a blast. Off the field? Probably a letdown. There’s always that line we throw around, “Next year, it’ll be better.” Optimism or naivety? Who knows.

Anyway—wait—I got sidetracked. Back to 26. It’s got this solid backbone from 25. Same spirited vibe, all that jazz, but with some extra goodies. Like, there’s this Trophy Room thing where you stockpile trophies like the Heisman, all collected like Pokémon or something. And it’s neat actually learning about them. There’s history in college football that EA tries catching onto.

So far, I’m sneaking in quick games here and there. More of an on-field guy myself. Been noticing how defenders play now. Remember when they had eyes at the back of their heads? Nuts, right? Well, apparently, they fixed that. Defenders gotta see the ball to catch it—finally—and, yes, it makes swatting a real option now. Better players actually stand out again. It’s the little things, really.

And oh man, dynamic subs and custom zones—those are awesome for someone who digs the defensive play over offensive flair. You can swap players on the go, and set zones like magic. I’m gonna fiddle with this a ton.

Super excited to dive into modes like Road to Glory, though. Play high school games, live the dream. All the Dynasty stuff is calling to me—it’s where I’ll probably hang out the most. The question is, does College Football 26 dodge the sophomore slump? Still a mystery, but I’m feeling optimistic. And that’s gotta count for something, right?