The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of CFB 25

Photo Credit: EA

On the early release date of July 15th, 2024, history was made in the sports and video game industry. After a decade, the video game series EA Sports College Football made a historic return as the gaming company, Electronic Arts, satisfied millions of fans while also fulfilling the dreams of players. With that announcement anticipated for more than a year, we finally get to see the gameplay in action. As a huge College Football fan, I can say that EA Sports did an excellent job with the product they released.

The Good

After previews of small gameplay clips were released before the actual release date, we could already tell that this was going to be one of the biggest games of the decade. The stunning graphics and realistic physics and motion are what every football fan who plays video games wishes for. The return of the game also brings back its fun game modes. The three main modes are Dynasty, Ultimate Team, and Road to Glory. Road to the College Football Playoff is the newly added mode that seems to be a well-thought-out plan. Many fans have played this mode, and it is popular on social media platforms.

The Bad

Nobody seems to see the genuine issue that the game presents, which is its unrealistic approach. It’s not about the bugs or glitches within the game, but rather the game’s overall unrealistic approach. If you thought it was difficult and almost impossible to level up your player starting off at the two-star level, getting into the ball game is a different mission altogether. If you choose to play as a two or three-star recruit, your chances of walking on a team in real life are higher than touching the field in the game. This aspect of Road to Glory is highly unrealistic. If EA Sports decides to take a different route in the next update for two and three-star recruits, they would likely attract more players to that game mode.

The Ugly

The main issue with the game is the actual gameplay mechanics. I’m not bad at the game, and neither are the users who play it, but to make a field goal, you must have the right angle, timing, precision, and hand-eye coordination. If you ask me, I’m not lining up perfect coordination to make an extra point or field goal. At the end of the day, this is a video game embodying college football players, not a field goal-kicking simulator. A user shouldn’t have to stress over kicking a PAT when it is already hard to win in the game. Another issue is that the game heavily favors the offense while not rewarding the defense. Now, I’m an avid College Football fan and watcher, and I know that defense is often lacking in college football, but a top-ranked defensive team like Michigan or Georgia should not be allowing 34 points to a team like Ball State or Duke. Once these problems are fixed, the game will have a much more realistic feel and would feel more like we are actually playing real-life College Football.

Regardless of the bad and ugly, every masterpiece is going to have a flaw, and this is not an article where I critique every flaw. This game is fun and has broken records for a reason. Face it, CFB 25 will probably take over Madden 25 and future generations of Madden. The only issue presented in the game is that new users need to know what they’re getting themselves into before spending $80 on this product.

Our 2024 DDSN Football Almanac will feature our Gridiron Guide, offering new challenges in Dynasty Mode for players seeking a tougher experience. These challenges will help keep the game fresh, with specific tasks for every D1 school. Here is a sneak peek before the full release of the Football Almanac. 

• CFB Gridiron Guide - California Golden Bears

The California Golden Bears first found success under Head Coach Andy Smith and his “Wonder Teams.” From 1920 to 1925, they won 50 straight games without a loss and secured four National Championships. Prior to this surge, schools on the East Coast did not consider Cal football worthy of competing against the superior East. Start a rivalry with a school in Pennsylvania and win a National Championship with Cal within a five-year window. Experts will attempt to build their own Wonder Teams and win four National Championships within a five-year period, just like Andy Smith.

• CFB Gridiron Guide - Tulsa Golden Hurricane

The Golden Hurricane is building up their offense, starting in the trenches with their interior linemen on both sides of the football. This is necessary to protect their highest-ever recruit, QB Tim Carpenter. Players will inherit a young roster with plenty of potential to compete in the AAC. The goal is to find weapons to surround Carpenter, along with a left tackle to protect him and a pass rush to support the strong interior defensive line. Renew the rivalry with Oklahoma State and win at least two conference championships before leaving Tulsa. The head coach for Tulsa has not won more than two conference championships since HC John Cooper in the 80’s when he won five in a row. Can you win five straight with the Golden Hurricane?