EA Sports College Football 25: Texas Longhorns team preview

The wait is almost over! EA Sports College Football 25 is set to release on Friday, July 19. 247Sports is proud to be the exclusive media group to get early access to playing the game. To make sure fans are ready for the launch of EA College Football 25, we’re previewing some of the top teams in the video game, including one of the most iconic programs in college football — the Texas Longhorns.

Horns247 expert Jordan Scruggs has you covered with a Q&A session to get you ready to play with Texas in College Football 25. Jordan will pinpoint everything you need to know about the Longhorns roster, from impact players to choosing the best offensive and defensive playbooks, and highlighting key games on the 2024 football schedule. Additionally, Jordan will offer insights on how the team is positioning itself to return to national prominence and what strategies will help Texas reclaim its status as a college football powerhouse.

Which impact players should fans be controlling for Texas when they pick up the controller?

When on offense the user will be controlling Quinn Ewers (92 overall) pre snap and will be in charge of how the ball gets distributed. If you’re looking to pass, you have a ton of great options with the speedy wideout room Steve Sarkisian and Chris Jackson have assembled. Ryan Niblett (10.41 100M HS PR), Isaiah Bond (10.48 100M HS PR), and Ryan Wingo (10.5 100M HS PR) should be the Longhorns’ fastest players on offense and make up three receivers with varying roles that you should be looking to get the ball to. If we’re looking at the running backs, I wouldn’t be surprised to see CJ Baxter earn a higher rating than Jaydon Blue but if we’re going off of speed, Blue should be the fastest running back on the Longhorns’ roster as he owns a 10.7 100M PR from his high school days. On the other side of the ball, Anthony Hill Jr. and Andrew Mukuba should be your best options if you like to drop into coverage as it’s incredibly hard to play as a cornerback in video games, even with talented ones in the program like Malik Muhammad. If you’re looking to get after the passer, Trey Moore and Ethan Burke should have the highest pass rush rating.

What are the best offensive and defensive playbooks to use with Texas?

Hard to not want to roll with the classic air raid. With having one of the higher rated quarterbacks in the game with Quinn Ewers on your team, I’d be looking to air it out and get the ball to the Longhorns’ receiver room that resembles a track team. Although Texas has running back talent to more than make an impact, you have to take advantage of a veteran quarterback with a dangerous receiver room playing behind one of the top offensive lines in the nation. On defense I’ll likely be rolling with the 4-2-5. If Anthony Hill Jr. is rated correctly I should have one of, if not the top linebackers in the game to make an impact against the run with, even with the Longhorns not having any standouts on the interior defensive line. My safeties will be made up of Andrew Mukuba and Derek Williams Jr., with Malik Muhammad and Gavin Holmes at cornerback, and Jahdae Barron at nickel.

When playing year one of dynasty mode with Texas, what game should fans circle on the schedule?

The Michigan game in week two. After playing Colorado State at home in week one, the Wolverines present the first real test for the Longhorns as they’ll be taking on the defending National Champs at the Big House. Not only should the Michigan game give you a good idea of what it’s like playing in a hectic road environment to start off the season before having to later take road trips to places like Fayetteville and College Station, it should also give you a good idea of the level of player you are as the Wolverines will likely make up the best team Texas plays in 2024 outside of the Georgia Bulldogs. Games against Oklahoma, Georgia, and Texas A&M could also be the answer here, but the week two matchup vs. the defending National Champs will provide a litmus test and will be incredibly valuable with how you take on teams later on in the season.

What should your strategy be with Texas to put them in a position to win a national title within a few years?

Championships are built in the trenches, and the most important thing going forward for maintaining the success the Texas football program has experienced will be continuing to stock the offensive and defensive lines with surefire blue chip talent. Yes, landing a big time quarterback prospect and surrounding him with top-level weapons will be important, but none of that matters if the signal caller can’t have time in the pocket or blocks for the running back to run behind. The defense should be built around the push in the interior and the pass rush from players at EDGE. Having a shutdown corner or a standout linebacker like Anthony Hill Jr. will certainly help, but there isn’t a thing that makes back-seven play easier than that of a dominant presence on the defensive line. Like Steve Sarkisian has continuously done during his time in Austin, recruiting skill players on both sides of the ball with stellar verified speed and testing numbers should be one of the main attributes you’re looking for when it comes to adding skill players via the high school recruiting ranks or the transfer portal.

What is the first play you are calling to start the season?

A jailbreak screen designed for either Isaiah Bond or Jaydon Blue. I’ll have two tight ends on the field with Malik Agbo lined up in-line and Gunnar Helm split out wide, and in all likelihood will be designing the play to the left side of the field so I could have the ball carrier running behind projected 2025 first-round NFL draft pick Kelvin Banks. 

247Sports’ Bud Elliott, also of the Cover3 podcast, had this to say about Texas in the game.

“Playing as Texas in EA Sports College Football 2025 is going to be a blast! You’ll get to command the field with quarterback Quinn Ewers, throwing precision passes to Isaiah Bond and CJ Baxter, who can make game-changing catches. On the defensive side, players like Anthony Hill Jr. could be a  dominant player to control as a user, bringing speed and power to shut down opposing offenses.”

In 2013, Bud created the Blue Chip Ratio — a breakdown of programs that have done well enough on the recruiting trail to actually win the College Football Playoff. You will be able to see Bud’s ratio in the game.

If you want to make it a little harder on yourself, you can always turn to Ewers’ high-profile backup. In a surprising turn of events, Arch Manning, nephew of Eli and Peyton Manning, has opted into the game. Initially, it seemed like he might not participate, but his inclusion is now confirmed with a rating of 87. This exciting addition will undoubtedly shake up gameplay and provide fans with another top-tier player to control.

EA College Football 25 will be available on July 19. For more team previews, check out 247Sports and CBSSports.com over the coming week.