No more waiting another 11 years for a college football video game.
EA Sports revealed on Thursday that College Football 26 will be hitting shelves this summer.
While specifics were light — leaving us in the dark about new features, a concrete release date and potential cover athletes — we at Awful Announcing decided to take matters into our own hands. We’ve compiled a list of names that could plausibly headline the cover of one of the 21st century’s most beloved and best-selling video games.
For reference, Quinn Ewers (Texas), Donovan Edwards (Michigan) and Travis Hunter (Colorado) were the featured cover athletes. With Ewers, despite his shortcomings, being a starting quarterback for a College Football Playoff team and Hunter winning the Heisman Trophy, Edwards, who was the hero for the Wolverines in their 2024 National Championship win, ended up being the polar bear in Arlington, Texas.
With that in mind, here are seven names that could make the cut as the face of College Football 26 this summer.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
This one practically writes itself.
Despite being inexplicably snubbed by the Football Writers Association of America, which failed to name him the nation’s top freshman, Jeremiah Smith’s performance as a true freshman out of Miami Gardens, Fla., speaks for itself.
Through the first 15 games of his career, the former 5-star prospect racked up 71 receptions for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns. His contributions proved pivotal to Ohio State’s run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. And if he delivers another performance for the ages against Notre Dame on Monday, he could cement himself as one of the faces of college football, if he hasn’t already.
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
LaNorris Sellers is the player who was named Freshman of the Year by the FWAA.
Perhaps his season pales compared to what Smith accomplished in Columbus, but as the heir apparent to Spencer Rattler in Columbia, the redshirt freshman took the SEC by storm. While the Gamecocks’ season ended in abject disappointment in a 21-17 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl loss to Illinois, Sellers had USC on the cusp of making its first CFP.
Losses to Alabama and Ole Miss ultimately derailed that conversation, but a win over ACC champion Clemson, largely because of Sellers’ ability to create with his legs, placed South Carolina firmly in the conversation. And the Gamecocks got as close as they did because Sellers not only led them to a 9-3 regular-season record but completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 2,534 yards with 18 touchdowns against seven interceptions in the process.
He also added 674 yards and seven scores on the ground.
Not bad.
DJ Lagway, QB, Florida
The emergence of another true freshman, this time in Gainesville, Fla., quite literally saved Billy Napier’s job. In choosing the Gators over Texas A&M and Clemson, DJ Lagway effectively gave the program the lifeline as the clock ticked on Napier’s tenure in The Swamp.
Lagway was named an FWAA Freshman All-American in his efforts, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for 1,915 yards with 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions. While he’s known for his ability to create plays with his legs, Lagway only added 101 yards on the ground, as he came into his own as a passer.
If he isn’t a household name quite yet, he will be by the time the 2025 season rolls around.
And perhaps you won’t be able to use Florida (or South Carolina) when you play against your buddies.
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The first non-quarterback or wide receiver on this list, 19-year-old Jeremiyah Love, has quietly emerged as one of the country’s most dynamic running backs.
Love runs with a lot of physicality but has home-run-hitting ability. He’s showcased both during the CFP in wins over Indiana and Penn State and his penchant for hurdling defenders, all with a bum knee.
He finished the regular season with 949 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He was also a threat out of the backfield, adding 206 receiving yards and two more touchdowns. With his versatility and explosiveness, Love is a candidate to break into the national spotlight as a potential cover athlete — and perhaps he’ll have a bit more staying power than Donovan Edwards proved to
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
Cade Klubnik has positioned Clemson as a legitimate contender with National Championship aspirations by returning to school for another season.
The 21-year-old Austin, TX, native came into his own during his true junior season, evolving into one of the most elite quarterbacks in college football.
Klubnik, who set records at the storied Austin Westlake program, set new personal bests this season, completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,639 yards with 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also added 463 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Not to mention, Klubnik almost single-handedly led Clemson to become the only team to knock off a home team in the first round of the CFP. He’s electric, dynamic and, without a doubt, a player who could be the face of College Football 26.
Caleb Downs, DB, Ohio State
We couldn’t leave out a defensive player, and Caleb Downs is the perfect choice.
Downs earned unanimous All-American honors this season, quickly establishing himself as the cornerstone of the Buckeyes’ defense in his first year after transferring from Alabama.
He’s proven to be one of the most disruptive forces on that side of the ball, contributing to Ohio State’s elite defense with 77 tackles (eight for loss) and two interceptions as he heads into the National Championship Game.
Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
No single quarterback in the country had a rise like Sam Leavitt, helping to transform Kenny Dillingham’s program into a legitimate force in Tempe.
After transferring from Michigan State, Leavitt took the reins in 13 games as a redshirt freshman, completing 61.7 percent of his passes for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns against six interceptions.
He also showcased his dual-threat ability, rushing for 443 yards and five scores on the ground.
Leavitt’s emergence has not only redefined the trajectory of the Arizona State program but has also made him one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in college football, making him another prime candidate to earn a spot on the cover of College Football 26.
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