NC State players ‘can’t stay off’ EA Sports College Football 25
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — While packing for his trip to ACC Media Day in Charlotte, NC State running back Jordan Waters contemplated adding a gaming system to his luggage. He, like thousands of other sports fans around the country, has been playing EA Sports’ College Football 25 religiously.
“Every day,” Waters said of how often he plays it. “I can’t stay off of it.”
For the first time ever, EA Sports implemented rosters using current college football players through NIL deals that awarded most in the game a $600 payment and a free copy of it. That, in turn, has made the new iteration of the game a hit 10 years after its previous release.
And like fans, NC State’s players have been drawn to the game ever since it came out.
Waters, who appears to play the game at every chance he can get, said he only uses himself in the game. The first time he played it, he had it on the easiest setting and Waters was able to rush for more than 300 yards.
Now, when he plays the game, there’s only one player that usually gets a majority of the touches: himself.
“I am playing with myself every day,” Waters said with a laugh. “I’ve got my dude bending over because he’s tired.”
Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall, who was one of the first players to announce he was in the game earlier this year, struggles to put the game down like his tailback.
“It’s pretty sweet,” McCall said. “It is hard not to [use yourself]. It’s unreal, just playing with myself in a video game. It just doesn’t seem real. It’s addicting. I’m trying to not let myself play as much because once I get on, I can’t get off.”
McCall, who boasts an 88 overall rating in the game, had no issues with how the game’s developers graded him. EA Sports used Pro Football Focus as a tool to assign every player a rating, and McCall has received an overall offense rating of 86.8 or better in three of his four years as a starter.
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“I’m pleased with my rating,” McCall said. “They made me kind of fast, too, which I respect. I don’t know if I’ve still got wheels like that, but I like it. My guy can throw the ball, which I love. The guy looks nothing like me, but it’s still pretty cool to see my name on the jersey.”
Just because the game appears to favor offense with high-scoring games a common occurrence, that does not mean the Wolfpack’s defenders have not had fun playing as themselves either.
NC State star defensive end Davin Vann has been a frequent flier on the game — “I’m a little addicted to it,” he said — using himself in key moments to rush the passer.
“It’s surreal,” Vann said of being in the game. “Words can’t really describe it. It’s still kind of weird to me just being in the game.”
While the three players NC State brought to ACC Media Day all raved about the game, College Football 25 has been a hit across the entire roster. Not only have the players enjoyed using themselves on a childhood video game, but it has allowed their family members to do the same.
For Waters, it has brought joy to his face seeing his younger family members using him in the game.
“It’s great,” Waters said. “I’ve got three nephews and they love me to death. Just to see their face when they see me on TV or they’re playing the game, it’s one of the best feelings.”
