EUGENE — Oregon fans patiently waiting for the release of EA Sports College Football 25 will no doubt be playing their team, the Ducks, first and foremost. Good for them, Oregon is expected to move closer to the top of the overall rankings when the new college football game launches.
Let's preview the 25 highest-rated teams in College Football and predict where the Ducks will rank in the rankings.
1. Georgia Bulldogs, 98 OVR
The new college football game is likely to keep you on a pretty safe trajectory when it comes to ranking teams, so it would be a given to see Georgia at No. 1.
The Bulldogs have won two of the last three national championships and have recruited elite-level players along the way, so they boast an elite roster and the win numbers to back it up. Expect Georgia to start as the best team in the game.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes, 97 OVR
In 2013, when NCAA football was last announced, Ohio State was ranked near the top of the elite teams with a powerful duo in quarterback Braxton Miller, running back Carlos Hyde and several NFL-caliber wide receivers.
Since then, the Buckeyes have gone from strength to strength, signing some of the top freshmen over the last few years and adding some proven transfers that give them the depth to be a No. 2 in the new game.
3. Texas Longhorns, 96 OVR
I was unsure about putting Oregon here in this evaluation, but Southeastern Conference bias has always been a reality in EA Sports' college football games. Don't be surprised if Texas, which will be in the playoffs in 2024 and boasts one of the best rosters in the country, gets selected over the Ducks in July.
4. Oregon Ducks, 95 OVR
Coming in at No. 4 are the Ducks, and given their recent success in recruiting, especially in the transfer portal, many Oregon fans would think the Ducks should be ranked higher than the Texans.
That could be true throughout the season, but the number of transfer players at positions of impact means EA Sports' talent evaluators may not be entirely sure how to rate Oregon just yet.
Big-name transfers like quarterback Dillon Gabriel, wide receiver Evan Stewart and cornerback Cam Alexander likely won't get their due until a good chunk of the season has passed, so be patient, Duck fans.
5. Ole Miss Rebels, 95 OVR
Adding the nation's No. 1 transfer portal class to an already talented roster and representing the SEC, Ole Miss is expected to be highly rated in July.
Quarterback Jackson Dart will be absent after last year's running back Quinshon Judkins transferred to Ohio State, but Ole Miss has plenty of top-tier talent and its SEC status will likely give it an edge in the ratings. Oregon fans may think it's criminal for Ole Miss to be on par with the Ducks, but anyone who has played the college football game can see how this is possible.
As college football fans around the world eagerly await the release of EA Sports' first college football game since 2013, it's only natural that they're starting to wonder how each team will rank. While the Ducks are likely to rank pretty highly, I think some key individual ratings might keep Oregon from making it onto the podium in this year's game.
