Successful conversions require a solid foundation. After a drought, Alabama’s Nick Saban strengthened his staff with innovative coordinators like Kirby Smart and Lane Kiffin. Urban Meyer asked beloved Gators captain Tim Tebow to inspire his teammates. And during his brief tenure at Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher earned exceptional recruiting courses. The road to success is paved in several ways, but EA Orlando knows that football doesn’t have to be rocket science. In EA Sports College Football 25 (CFB 25), coaching chemistry is an exciting balancing act between skills, locker rooms come to life with unique player skills, and roster recruiting is a tense but fun PR mini-game. As a generational talent, CFB 25 has all the intangibles, even if some minor mistakes prevent him from getting unanimous all-American honors.

There’s nothing more beautiful than the pomp of college football, and EA Orlando’s awe of the rust show is evident in the jump; pirouetting cheerleaders make way for mascots, followed by armies of energetic players, helmets shining brightly in the sun. Whether it’s Chief Osceola galloping to the 50-yard line or Smokey leading the Volunteers’ iconic offense, the CFB 25 fanfare never disappoints. This deep dive also extends to the flawless presentation on the field. After leaving the huddle, my restless linemen wait for the snap, while a trio of massive linebackers stand on the sidelines looking for clues. The world vibrates with the menacing bassline of “Mo Bamba,” and as Penn State’s Nick Singleton shoots the breach into daylight, white sea of Beaver Stadium erupts. Fortunately, these fantastic atmospheric moments dazzle in all duels, from big rivalry games to routine conference matches.

Stylish graphics are well combined with fast gameplay. Agile running backs beat defenders to the limit, elusive wide receivers catch ball passes with stride, and powerful running backs get through pockets in the blink of an eye. Add a variety of skills to the mix, and every play call or tweak before you click has what it takes to be an unforgettable highlight. Throwing balls to great receivers with the body ability of 50-50 always feels like an exciting risk worth taking. And masking covers to force spikes with padlocks is very rewarding when you come across crazy celebrations. The improved movement of the ball carrier is the icing on the cake, as the simple configuration of the stick makes sliding through the trenches, turning up or getting rid of annoying backs satisfactorily noticeable. The CFB 25’s frenetic pace and potential for a big game could lead to a frustratingly disproportionate number of nerve-wracking shootouts, but the fluid controls as well as vivid animations on and off the field make blowing the whistle worth all the sweat and tears.

However, the game’s modest selection of modes is less consistent. Dynasty shines, as several emerging systems, namely coaching archetypes and recruitment procedures, keep the campaign interesting long after the big win. As the D-coordinator of a miserable team on the Carolina coast, I decided to invest skill points in both the Motivator and Recruiter archetypes, marveled at my team’s respectable XP earnings, and at the same time built a relationship by reaching out to potential players and their families. I love the slow progression of Dynasty’s the burn; from targeting low-star recruits to finally getting a four-star player years after the show’s athletic reputation was restored. Finally, my starting lineup of uncompromising outsiders earned a playoff berth. And while I never hand a national championship to coastal Carolina, it’s especially cathartic to see my motivator-recruiter philosophy pay off when LSU hands me the keys to Death Valley.

A solid alternative to Dynasty, Road to Glory offers an impressive catalog of equipment customization options, but managing a short list of static gauges over a three-to four-year career is not appealing. When I’m not perfecting RPO passes at practice or taking a knee before the regular season Ice Epic Games, I’m handing over a limited supply of “energy” points to maintain high academic, leadership, health, and brand scores. On paper, it looks like a fun weekly challenge to be cramming for the next half time and at the same time finding time to grow my fandom. In practice, the Road to Glory off-field cycle is akin to completing tasks for paltry winnings on game day. Why try a 4.0 GPA when the correlated benefit is a mediocre increase in composure? Becoming a starter through successful drills and rare opportunities in the game feels like significant and dynamic progress, but navigating the status bars to solve the forgotten attributes of players makes me want to quit the team.

College Ultimate Team (CUT) is nothing new in the EA Sports landscape: complete challenges (or spend money) to earn points, buy packages with accumulated points to assemble an unstoppable squad, sink and repeat. CUT is trying to break new ground with interesting challenges, ranging from learning the basics of sports to interpreting historical moments from recent seasons. Its routine will exhaust casual gamers, but the bite-sized trials, mixed with exciting PvP games, should serve as a welcome respite from Dynasty or Road to Glory. Unfortunately, the road to CFP feels surprisingly flat compared to its counterparts. Playing a season against other competitors just to show off might justify a few tries, but without a real incentive or reward beyond qualifying, the path to the CFP is likely to remain a small detour.

With EA Sports College Football 25, the grid feels brand new again, with outstanding graphics that increase the intensity of the day and smooth controls that evoke the high-octane momentary action that makes college football so popular. I enjoy the tedious and time-consuming process of reviving weak programs in Dynasty and competing against teammates to win the coveted starting spot in Road to Glory, but some shallow progression systems and game modes are worrisome; beyond the campaigns, there just isn’t enough to see or do. However, CFB 25 is a sure spiral release in the right direction, and I’m curious to see how its solid foundation will develop further in future releases.