EA Sports released a new “Gameplay First Look” on YouTube Monday, showing off gameplay from contests between Michigan and Texas and then the Wolverines and Penn State.
The footage, featuring Michigan running back Donovan Edwards playing as the Wolverines, showcased a number of new features coming to the revamped franchise. Those included coverage shells, meters for injury wear-and-tear and composure and an impressive graphical and environmental presentation featuring The Big House in Ann Arbor and Beaver Stadium in Happy Valley, among others.
The video also showed off the ability to run turbo offense—essentially a juiced-up version of the no-huddle that allows for a faster tempo—the ability to more accurately throw receivers open with pinpoint passing controls, the new ability to adjust the depth of routes in the hot route menu and some of the signature player abilities for the top 100 players in the game.
Ohio State fans be warned, however—the video features two Michigan wins.
Given that the last game in the NCAA Football series was released back in 2013, hype for the return title this year has been huge. The game only exists now because EA Sports was able to come up with NIL packages for the players who appear in the title.
It was famous for its more offensive-heavy, high-octane gameplay compared to its Madden counterpart; for fun, college-oriented offenses such as the triple option and things like the spread offense and Wildcat as they were popularized in college football; and for a robust Dynasty Mode that allowed players the ability to recruit and build up their school over a number of years.
The ultimate mark of NCAA Football supremacy was taking a small school and turning them into a national powerhouse through recruiting and success on the field.
The series will return in a new age of the sport, as NIL deals, an expanded playoff, the transfer portal and major conference realignment have changed the sport forever. The new game is expected to reflect all of that, though the gameplay will ultimately be what makes or breaks the return of the franchise.
