The last time the Arizona football program was featured in a video game, the Wildcats were led by All-American running back and Tucson native Ka'Deem Carey.
Except Carey's character in the college football video game, known at the time as EA Sports NCAA Football 14, wasn't Carey, it was "RB 25" to avoid using his likeness. Following a class-action lawsuit between former UCLA basketball standout Ed O'Bannon and the NCAA for unfairly using student-athletes' likenesses in video games, EA Sports discontinued its college series.
The name, image and likeness (NIL) era that started in college athletics three years ago carved the path for EA Sports, a subdivision of Electronic Arts, to revive its wildly-popular college football game, but with a rebranded title, EA Sports College Football 25. The game will be released everywhere for PlayStation and Xbox consoles on Friday.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter and Michigan running back Donovan Edwards are on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25.
The cover athletes for the standard version of EA Sports College Football 25, priced at $70, are Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, Texas Longhorns star quarterback Quinn Ewers and Michigan running back Donovan Edwards. The "deluxe edition" of EA Sports College Football 25, which gives users early access to the game the Monday afternoon before it officially releases, is $100. The "MVP bundle," which includes a copy of Madden 25, is $150.
Electronic Arts Sports (EA Sports) will have an NIL program that will pay college football players, who offer their name, image and likeness, $600 and a copy of EA Sports College Football 25, if they opt in.
EA Sports launched an NIL program for the game that will allow college football players at 134 FBS programs nationwide, including independent Notre Dame, to opt in and offer the company their name, image and likeness for the video game. No FCS schools will be included in the game.
Players who opt-in will receive $600 and a copy of the game. Each team can have up to 85 players in the game. Players can opt-in through Learfield’s “COMPASS” name, image and likeness (NIL) app. Players who didn’t opt-in have been converted into a generic avatar. Service academy programs — Air Force, Navy and Army — aren’t allowed to receive NIL compensation, but their players are expected to be a part of the game.
EA Sports will spend around $6.83 million in NIL money for this first edition of the reboot.
When Arizona fans fire up College Football 25 this summer, they can recreate the on-field connection between quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, or wreak havoc on defense with linebacker Jacob Manu. Players of the game can even play with Arizona in the Rose Bowl, the College Football Playoff or even the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium, which would never happen in real life since the Arizona Bowl is a matchup between Mountain West and Mid-American Conference teams.
Arizona linebacker Jacob Manu (5) and his defensive teammates celebrate his interception against Utah in the second quarter last year.
More notably, the days of downloading online rosters from gamers who manually uploaded the names are in the past. Fifita won't be "QB 11," he'll be "Noah Fifita."
Arizona will be ranked No. 23 in College Football 25 with an 87 overall team rating and the 15th-best offense. Arizona star wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, cornerback Tacario Davis and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea were named Top 100 players by EA Sports College Football 25. McMillan has the highest overall player rating (94), followed by Davis (92) and Savaiinaea (90). Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson and LSU left tackle Will Campbell are the highest-rated players in the game. McMillan is the third-highest rated player in the game.
Several Wildcats shared their thoughts on being a part of EA Sports' renewed college football video game. Here's what they said:
Quarterback Noah Fifita’s emergence is one reason Arizona may still contend for a Big 12 title in its first year in the conference in 2024.
Quarterback Noah Fifita: "Shoot, I can't wait. I was a big NCAA (video game) guy growing up. (NCAA Football 14) was the last game I played with my little brother. We're gamers, we love sports games the most. I'm definitely looking forward to it. We used to create teams — 99 overall (rating) for everything. To not have to create a player anymore is pretty cool."
Safety Dalton Johnson: "I think it's pretty cool. I loved NCAA Football 14. Haven't played it since, obviously, 2014. Just knowing I get to be in a video game is pretty cool."
Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes (2) and the Wildcat defense celebrate after forcing a turnover during the Wildcats’ win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Dec. 28, 2023. Arizona had six takeaways.
Defensive back Treydan Stukes: "It's every boy's dream. You play video games to be in one. Everyone creates their own player, and this time I won't have to. ... Amongst the players, we go back and forth about what (our player rating) will be and what it should be."
Offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea: "I just want to see what my speed is. I don't want them to disrespect my speed."
Linebacker Jacob Manu: "I don't know what my rating will be, but I can't wait. Seeing myself in a video game is something I always wished for as a kid."
Linebacker Taye Brown: "I've always wanted to be in Madden or something like that, so it's going to be pretty cool."
Arizona running back Quali Conley (7) runs through drills during spring football practice at Tomey Field on the UA campus on April 11.
Running back Quali Conley: "It's awesome. When we were younger, we used to always play with Tim Tebow, we used to play with the college mascots and it's just exciting to play as yourself in the game."
Running back Rayshon "Speedy" Luke: "It's a big blessing. As a kid, you dreamed about that. That's a dream to play with yourself. Now that we can do that, it's like Madden. Not everyone can make it to the NFL, so this is big to us, because you don't know our next journey. This is very big to us."
Arizona running back Brandon Johnson (20) throws a large ball to Rayshon Luke (21) during spring football practice, Tomey Field, April 16, 2024.
Running back Brandon Johnson: "Like Speedy said, it's a blessing. I'm going to load up the sticks, load up my game and I'm going to see me. That's something different.
"I don't have to create a player; it's already there and EA Sports already did it for me. I just can't wait. I want to see how the game is going to turn out and how it's different from the last NCAA video game."
Offensive lineman Ryan Stewart: "I still play NCAA Football 14 up until now. It's one of my favorite games of all time, and now I'm just excited to get in it."
Arizona defensive lineman Tre Smith hits a padded teammate as the defensive unit works out in during a spring practice session in early April at Arizona Stadium.
Defensive end Tre Smith: "I think it's awesome personally, because it's cool to see yourself in a game with your teammates that you spend everyday with. But I'm a little more excited for my dad, because my dad loves football — and he's the reason I got into football.
"I can't wait for him to play the game, like, that's his son in there."
Defensive tackle Chubba Ma'ae: "I'm excited. My cousins and I used to play all the time growing up. I remember I used to cheat. There's a glitch in the game on kickoff return where all you have to do is go all the way to the sideline and just run straight down and everybody would miss you. I'm excited."
Offensive lineman Alexander Doost: "Me and my brothers were always big into playing video games with each other, so when I told them about this, they were very excited. I'm excited to get into that with them."
Arizona wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig (5) comes off the field after a Wildcat possession gets stymied in the third quarter against Utah at Arizona Stadium on Nov. 18, 2023.
Wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig: "I think it's a good opportunity to put your brand out there, put yourself out there more. It'll be really dope to be in a game similar to Madden and play with yourself. It'll be an exciting feature to see."
Wide receiver AJ Jones: "I'm excited. I used to play the last game, NCAA 14, that was the last one, so for it to come back is going to be super-fun. I'm going to be in the game, too, so that'll be super-cool."
Bobby Wade, Arizona's wide receiver coach runs drills during practice on March 26.
Wide receivers coach and ex-Wildcat Bobby Wade: "(The old NCAA game) didn't have your name, but they had your number, your exact build, they had your skin color.
"You knew it was you, for sure.
"Madden was fun, that was super-cool. Everyone always complains about the speed not being right. All the numbers they give you like the speed, acceleration — they always messed that up for me. It was terrible.
Electronic Arts Sports (EA Sports) will have an NIL program that will pay college football players, who offer their name, image and likeness, $600 and a copy of EA Sports College Football 25, if they opt in.
"I think it's cool. It was always fun to see yourself (in the video game). If they get an opportunity to play in the league, that's always fun, too, because of the Madden game and kids will always run up to you saying, 'I used to play with you in Madden way back in the day.' I think it's fun for the boys."
Defensive lineman Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei: "Should be cool. I can't wait to put myself at linebacker to see what I can do. Let's hope they give me the fastest speed overall, good pass rush overall."
Defensive end Dominic Lolesio: "It's like a dream. I always dreamed of playing with myself in a game, so it's a really big opportunity. It's a blessing."
Defensive tackle Keanu Mailoto: "I just got to put the work on the field first and see what's going to go on after that."
Arizona offensive linemen Jonah Savaiinaea (71) and Leif Magnuson (65) celebrate as the officials make the call for a Wildcat first down in the final minutes, clinching the 27-24 victory over No. 11 Oregon State.
Offensive lineman Leif Magnuson: "That's honestly a pretty cool thing. You hear, 'EA Sports, it's in the game.' Well, we're in the game. The fact that we're doing that, it's insane and pretty cool."
Offensive tackle Rhino Tapa'atoutai: "I grew up playing NCAA with all of my cousins with the Xbox and was like, 'Dang, pretty soon that can be me.'
"It's not overwhelming, it's a good thing. It's pretty good."
Tight end Keyan Burnett: "I can't wait. I grew up playing Madden my whole life. My dad (Chester Burnett) was on Madden back in the day. To have this opportunity.
"I can't wait for it."
Arizona players celebrate their win over Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28, 2023 in San Antonio.
Tight end Dorian Thomas: "I'm excited, too. It's always been a dream to be in a video game. All my friends ask me, 'When is it coming out? When is it coming out?' That's a dream come true.
"I played (NCAA Football 14) until I got the red ring on my Xbox."
Cornerback Emmanuel Karnley: "I feel like that's a dream come true honestly. Me and my cousins grew up playing NCAA, Madden, any game you could think of and we would create our players in the game and just have fun with it. Now that we can see ourselves in the game without us having to do it, it's a dream come true."
Arizona cornerback Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine makes a celebratory confetti angel after the Wildcats defeated No. 12 Oklahoma 38-24 in the Alamo Bowl last week.
Cornerback Jai-Ayviauynn Celestine: "It's a dream come true. I can tell my son, 'Look, I'm on the game. Go play with daddy!' Besides that, I think it's great. I get to tell my mom in a game, my family back home will get the game and play with me, play with the team. I think that's pretty unique."
Defensive back Genesis Smith: "It's super-cool. It was always a dream to be in a video game, preferably Madden, but college is the start to it so I'm happy about that. I think it's really cool."
Defensive back Gavin Hunter: "I think it's cool. It's going to be competitive between the boys and it's going to be something fun."
