EA Sports College Football 25: Georgia, Ohio State Lead Predicted Top 10 Teams Ahead of Video Game Release

The wait for a real college football video game is almost over. EA Sports recently unveiled the highly anticipated title “College Football 25.” drop on July 19. It then shared a trailer with gameplay footage and various small details that should get fans even more excited.

As with any release in the sports game genre, it's always interesting to see what the developers think of the teams included. “College Football 25” is a particularly difficult undertaking. The EA Sports team is tasked with assigning numerical values ​​to 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams and over 10,000 athletes to quantify relative team quality.

Overall team ratings are typically based on player averages, so the teams with more talented athletes – or, in this case, a good collection of former top players – will receive a higher overall rating.

So it's possible to predict the direction EA Sports will take when it comes to evaluating teams for 'College Football 25'. If history is any indication, players and teams are rated on a scale of 0-99, with the overall average somewhere in the high 70s or low 80s.

Teams with an overall rating of 99 are rare, although we have seen a few, such as Alabama in “NCAA Football 14” (the last college football video game title).

With all that in mind, here's a prediction of the 10 highest-rated teams in “College Football 25.”

Oklahoma – 91 overall

Offence: 90 |Defense: 92

Oklahoma certainly has the talent to make some noise in its first year as an SEC program. The Sooners' success depends on the development of new starting quarterback Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit who played sparingly last year. It helps Arnold that Oklahoma has an impressive skill set. Wide receiver Nic Anderson is a touchdown machine and Purdue transfer Deion Burks could emerge as one of the nation's top playmakers. But the Sooners are hampered by an offensive line that needs to replace all five starters. Defensively, Oklahoma has a pair of potential All-Americans in Ethan Downs and Danny Stutsman, plus a well-rounded secondary with plenty of veterans.

Michigan – 92 overall

Offence: 87 |Defense: 96

Michigan must replace 13 NFL Draft picks and several other key departures from its 15-0 2023 national championship team. Many of those losses came on offense, where stalwarts like quarterback JJ McCarthy, running back Blake Corum and receiver Roman Wilson have disappeared. Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards, a cover athlete for “College Football 25,” will likely get a nice initial rating, and projected starting QB Alex Orji could be fun to play with given his athletic skills. But Michigan's defense carries a lot of water here. The Wolverines are still loaded with potential draft picks on that side of the ball. Defensive lineman Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson lead the way as bona fide first-rounders.

Penn State – 92 overall

Offence: 89 |Defense: 95

Penn State's offense is a bit further along than Michigan's, at least in terms of experience. Former five-star prospect Drew Allar is back at quarterback after an up-and-down first season as a starter. If all else fails, the Nittany Lions can ride on one of the best running back tandems in the country: Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Both are sure to rate at least in the upper 80s. The wide receiver position is concerning, to say the least, and the offensive line has some big shoes to fill with Olu Fashanu gone. It will be interesting to see how Abdul Carter, a versatile defender with a history as an off-ball linebacker, plays a defensive role as he fills the Chop Robinson role.

Ole Miss – 93 overall

Offence: 94 |Defense: 92

Ole Miss will be an interesting option in the game just because of all the transfers that require a role. Self-proclaimed “Portal King” Lane Kiffin lived up to the name this season, pushing hard to improve his team across the board. That was especially true on defense, where the Rebels overhauled the secondary and secured the services of Texas A&M defensive line transfer Walter Nolen, who should be one of the highest-ranked linemen in “College Football 25” with upside to play on Sunday to play. Although not a transfer this year, quarterback Jaxson Dart is back for his third year as the starter. Receivers like Tre Harris will make it easy for him.

Notre Dame – 94 overall

Offence: 91 |Defense: 97

Duke quarterback transfer Riley Leonard was once heralded as a first-round prospect, but recent injuries have hampered his pro potential. When healthy, he gives the Fighting Irish great rushing ability with an arm to boot. However, Notre Dame's defense is the real star of the show. Coach Marcus Freeman has built a loaded secondary with a pair of all-stars in cornerback Benjamin Morrison and safety Xavier Watts – the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Award winner. These two alone will make things very difficult for opponents – both in real life as in “College Football 25” – to move the ball through the air.

Alabama – 94 total

Offence: 94 |Defense: 93

This may not be the same Alabama team we're used to seeing as Nick Saban retires, but former Washington boss Kalen DeBoer inherits a roster that still has the hallmarks of an SEC competitor. Quarterback Jalen Milroe seems tailor-made for a video game with his freakish athleticism and live-wire arm. The offensive line was once a mild concern but has been buoyed by the return of Kadyn Proctor, a former five-star player and the top player in 247Sports' transfer rankings. Alabama has a great linebacker tandem in Deontae Lawson and Jihaad Campbell, but the Crimson Tide is missing a pass-rushing superstar after producing back-to-back first-rounders Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner. Transfers like Domani Jackson (USC) and Keon Sabb (Michigan) bring a lot of upside to a secondary that needs to replace a lot of production.

Texas – 95 total

Offence: 97 |Defense: 93

Texas starter and EA Sports cover athlete Quinn Ewers will be at least one of the two highest-rated quarterbacks in the game. Wide receiver Isaiah Bond, offensive tackle Kelvin Banks and running back CJ Baxter will likely join him in that upper echelon. The Longhorns have a lot of offensive firepower. The defense has its fair share of highlights, with excellent safeties and a well-rounded group of linebackers. On the other hand, Texas must replace a pair of NFL Draft picks (T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy) along the defensive line and both starting cornerbacks following Terrance Brooks' recent decision to transfer to Illinois.

Oregon – 96 overall

Offence: 96 |Defense: 95

Oregon is well positioned to push for a Big Ten title in its first season in the conference. The Ducks could have a smooth transition at quarterback, going from 2024 first-round pick Bo Nix to Oklahoma transfer Dillon Gabriel, who has amassed nearly 15,000 yards in his career. He fits perfectly with what the Ducks like to do offensively. Texas A&M wide receiver transfer Evan Stewart will be great to use in “College Football 25”; he headlines a large group of wideouts that also includes Tez Johnson, who holds Oregon's single-season receptions record (86). Coach Dan Lanning has built a fantastic defense, with immediate impact playmakers like former Washington cornerback Jabbar Muhammad and ex-Kansas State safety Kobe Savage.

Ohio State — 97 overall

Offence: 95 |Defense: 99

Ohio State's new offense is led by offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who introduces an interior zone rushing plan that focuses on pounding the rock first. Fortunately, the Buckeyes have the right personnel to do that. Ole Miss running back transfer Quinshon Judkins does his best work between the tackles, while TreVeyon Henderson is a one-cut runner who can turn an inch of space into a significant gain. Kansas State QB transfer Will Howard's power running style adds an extra dimension and, if translated correctly, will be unique to use in “College Football 25.”

The defense is in a different stratosphere. There are no gaps from top to bottom. The corner room reads like an all-conference roster, with Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock and Denzel Burke at the top. Safety transfer Caleb Downs from Alabama was a freshman All-American and already looks like the game's best backend player despite his relative youth. Add in a defensive line anchored at the ends by Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, and you have a wealth of wealth at your disposal on that side of the ball.

Georgia — 98 total

Offence: 98 |Defense: 99

Few coaches can build a roster better than Kirby Smart. He's been a recruiting machine since he was hired in 2016 to replace Mark Richt, and there's a clear reason the Bulldogs are consistently on the national title list. Quarterback Carson Beck, a relative unknown this time last year, is establishing himself as college football's best with his poise and arm talent. He has an underrated group of wide receivers, a dynamic backfield with a thunder/lightning combo in Roderick Robinson II and Trevor Etienne, and arguably the best offensive line in America. And what else can be said about the Georgian defense at this point? The Bulldogs are racking up elite defenders at an absurd rate and always reloading, regardless of offseason losses.