COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — For the first time, an Ohio State Buckeyes player will be featured on the cover of a best-selling college football video game.
EA Sports announced the cover for the upcoming “College Football 26” game, set to launch on July 10. As part of the game’s second year of its latest rebrand following an 11-year hiatus, EA has chosen to spotlight two standout second-year receivers: Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State and Ryan Williams from Alabama. The company plans its first full reveal of the new game on Thursday.
Smith is the first Ohio State player to be featured on the cover of an EA Sports college football video game, a tradition dating back to 1994. His appearance alongside Williams suggests they may be among the highest-rated players in the game.
The Deluxe Edition cover also includes Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and safety Caleb Downs.
Smith, 19, had a record-setting season for a Buckeyes freshman receiver in 2024, with 15 receiving touchdowns and 1,315 receiving yards. His remarkable one-handed catches earned him first-team All-American honors, the title of Big Ten’s best receiver, and freshman of the year for 2024.
A native of Miami, Smith continued to excel by scoring five touchdowns during Ohio State’s four-game journey to the College Football Playoff national title. He was named Rose Bowl MVP after recording seven catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon on January 1.
Heading into 2025, Smith carries high expectations and is regarded as one of the top-five favorites by oddsmakers for the Heisman Trophy.
“College Football 25” marked EA’s first officially licensed college football video game since 2013. It was the first to realistically emulate players, following the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness rules that allowed for player inclusion and compensation. Reports indicate that “College Football 25” became the top-selling sports video game by dollar amount, with over 2 million copies of the deluxe edition sold for early access.