EA Sports Kisses LR Goodbye, AI Creates a Fake Hog + More Tidbits from New Game

EA Sports College Football 25, Arkansas Football
photo credit: EA Sports College Football 25

It’s official, folks – the wait is over. After 11 years without a new college football video game, order has been restored as EA Sports College Football 25 is finally available to fans in Arkansas and across the country.

The only federal holiday in the month of July is Independence Day, obviously, but Monday felt like a landmark day of even higher importance than the Fourth of July. Nostalgic old men and kids alike flocked to their consoles for the much-anticipated return of the beloved video game franchise.

The re-introduction of a virtual world of college football will surely provide fans with the chance to fulfill whatever niche dream they might have. Making Kennesaw State into a national contender, right? Sure! Turning Navy into a dominant force with the triple option? Absolutely.

For Arkansas fans disheartened by the lack of on-field success in the last few years, the game presents a chance for Razorback Nation to take their repressed anger out on defenseless, virtual SEC foes from the comfort of their living room. 

There’s sure to be many people posting their dynasty results in the coming days, with screenshots of Taylen Green taking home the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 7,000 yards and leading the Hogs to glory.

Here’s a look at what the new in-game experience will look like for Arkansas fans.

Gameday Experience in EA Sports College Football 25

When you fire up a game at Razorback Stadium, you’re greeted with a pretty sweet intro featuring a number of Arkansas’ iconic gameday traditions. The team storms out of the smoky tunnel to the tune of “Arkansas Fight” and runs through the “A” formed by the Razorback Marching Band.

Panning shots into the crowd show fans calling the Hogs, and the entire stadium can be heard hollering “Wooo Pig Sooie” during kickoffs. Some cool details can be heard on the commentary, with Chris Fowler referencing standout former Razorbacks like Tyler Wilson and the late Ryan Mallett when you make an impressive throw with Taylen Green.

The school fight song is in the game, and you’ll hear the band blasting it after you score a touchdown. After the game is over, the players link arms and sway back and forth to the alma mater, just like real life.

Break off a 20-yard run with Ja’Quinden Jackson, and you’ll hear Kirk Herbstreit mention how Darren McFadden is one of the most impressive players he’d ever seen live. The inclusion of these callbacks is a small addition, but it’s the kind of thing that makes folks love the sport and its virtual counterpart.

The only downside of the Arkansas gameday experience is the fact that, for whatever reason, EA decided to go with the dreaded front-facing Hog logo for the t-shirts that the virtual fans wear on gameday. The crowd is full of them. Other than that, the in-game experience in Razorback Stadium is pretty sweet.

The venue checks in at No. 23 on the game’s “toughest places to play” list, and that becomes apparent when the other team has possession. In my test-run game against LSU, the entire screen was shaking on third downs when the Tigers had the ball.

Observations from Browsing College Football 25

The Razorbacks’ signature rivalries are all present in the game. The Southwest Classic vs. Texas A&M, the Battle for the Golden Boot vs. LSU, the Battle Line Rivalry vs. Missouri and the “Arkansas/Texas Rivalry” are all noted as rivalry matchups in the team selection screen.

That will surely add some spice to any Arkansas football fans pursuing a dynasty mode save with their favorite team.

The Southwest Classic gives users a chance to play in AT&T Stadium as a neutral site venue. Some fans might rejoice at the news that the Hogs’ once-a-year home venue in Little Rock, War Memorial Stadium, does not seem to be in the game. (Previously, Arkansas regularly played multiple home games there per year.)

As far as the uniforms go, Arkansas’ real-life look is included in the game, and it’s a really clean set of uniforms. You can go with the classic home and away combos or opt for all-red and all-white sets. 

It’s a big upgrade from the last iteration of the franchise 11 years ago, when Arkansas fans had to suffer through the heinous uniforms from the beginning of the Bret Bielema era.

Another cool tidbit is that whichever school you set as your favorite team becomes the theme for your main menu screen. For Razorback fans, you’ll see your home screen adorned with Arkansas pennants, “Wooo Pig Sooie” signs and pictures of Landon Jackson flexing his muscles after a sack.

How Do Arkansas Football’s Ratings Stack Up?

So how does Arkansas stack up with the rest of the country when it comes to attributes?

As far as the team goes, EA Sports was pretty generous with Arkansas’ virtual squad. The Razorbacks have the eighth-highest overall rating in the SEC, squarely in the middle of the conference. Their 85 rating ranks just above teams like Auburn and Missouri, who boast an 84 overall rating – debate that however you’d like. Click here to see the full team ratings for the rest of the country.

With individual ratings, you can probably predict who leads the way for the Hogs – senior defensive end Landon Jackson, at a 91 overall. In fact, he’s Arkansas’ lone representative among the game’s top 100 players, all of whom are a 90 overall or higher. On the offensive side of the ball, it’s Luke Hasz as the top-rated Razorback at 88.

Other marquee offensive pieces include quarterback Taylen Green (80), running back Ja’Quinden Jackson (86) and wide receiver Andrew Armstrong (85). The place users might have their work cut out is on the offensive line, where no Razorbacks rate higher than an 82. Green’s rating might be a tad on the low end, as he’s just the 66th-best quarterback in the game, and lower than most SEC starters and even a few backups.

Hudson Clark (85) and Jaylon Braxton (84) hold down the secondary, while the Arkansas linebacker most people will want to user control is Georgia transfer Xavian Sorey Jr. (80), who has 83 speed and 86 tackling. For those unfamiliar with the game, you can only control one player at a time on defense, and most people choose a middle linebacker or a defensive end.

Defensive tackle Cam Ball checks in at a respectable 82 overall, though he doesn’t appear to be too pleased with that.

For the superlative awards, the honor of “fastest virtual Razorback” goes to none other than wide receiver Jordan Anthony, who clocks in with a blazing 98 speed rating.

Not surprising, given his extensive track background, he also wins the “fastest actual Razorback” title, too. Offensive lineman Patrick Kutas appears to be the team’s strongest player, with a 96 strength rating.

On the roster front, almost all of Arkansas’ roster appears in the game. EA allotted 85 spots to each school’s roster, and gave every player the chance to opt in or out of having their likeness represented. It seems most of the Razorbacks made it in, with a few exceptions.

The Hogs don’t appear to be missing any scholarship players on offense or defense, though notable walk-ons like two-sport quarterback Austin Ledbetter and 29-year-old wide receiver Monte Harrison are absent. Punter Devin Bale does not appear in the game, and is instead replaced by AI-generated Brandon Kemme.

More Arkansas-related dives into EA Sports College Football 25 are coming later this week on BoAS. Stay tuned…

The real Andrew Armstrong isn’t going to go down quietly when it comes to who finishes No. 1 in virtual (and real) receiving for the Hogs:

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A closer look at dynasty mode and gameplay features in EA Sports College Football 25:

YouTube video
YouTube video

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More coverage of Arkansas football from BoAS…

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