College Football 26 Road to Glory Deep Dive
Welcome Back to the Campus Huddle, your home for news and information about EA SPORTS™ College Football 26 straight from the developer team! We know you have been waiting for more information about Road to Glory and we have a lot to share with you today.
Before we get started with the Campus Huddle, let's hear from Kirk Herbstreit for a video deep dive on Road to Glory and Superstar!
Now, once again, let’s hear from Chad Walker, Producer, and Ben Haumiller, Principal Game Designer, for College Football 26. Let’s get started!
BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION
In College Football 25, we laid the foundation for our multi-year vision of what Road to Glory could become. We wanted the mode to be fast to fun, highly replayable, and grounded in the kinds of meaningful decisions that define a college athlete’s journey.
From the start, our goal was to create an experience without right or wrong answers — one where every choice was rooted in meaningful decisions that shaped your path and legacy. It was incredible to see the community response and how much fun players had with characters like Audrey, getting blocked after sending a bold text, and creating memes from those unexpected moments.
But in listening to our players, a few clear themes emerged. First, players wanted a more meaningful recruiting experience — more agency in deciding where they go to school, and more control over the moments that lead there. Second, while Coach Trust was a strong foundation for getting on the field, players wanted more tension, more rewards, and more to chase once they earned the starting job. And third, players wanted a better way to track their achievements and celebrate everything they’d earned across their career.
With College Football 26, we’ve built directly on that feedback as part of our multi-year vision — expanding Road to Glory in ways that deepen the recruiting process, increase the importance of every decision, and reward players for how they grow over time. Every moment still matters. But now, there are even more ways to shape your future.
CREATION
Your journey in Road to Glory begins with your first meaningful decision — choosing your initial star rating. This choice defines your starting path and character creation, setting the tone for your attributes, abilities, and the early expectations around you. Regardless of the path you choose, you’ll face challenges along the way — and how you respond to them will shape everything that follows.
There are four distinct starting points: Elite (5-star), Blue Chip (4-star), Contributor (3-star), and Underdog (2-star). Each offers a unique experience, from carrying the weight of national expectations to battling for recognition from the ground up. Your selected star rating sets your starting attributes and determines whether you begin with an ability tied to your archetype.
Elite 5-star prospects start with one gold and one silver ability. Blue Chip 4-star prospects begin with one silver ability. Contributor and Underdog players won’t start with any abilities — they’ll have to earn them by proving they belong.
The ability you start with is determined by your archetype. A Pocket Passer quarterback begins with Step Up and Dot, while a Pure Runner starts with Magician and Workhorse. But that early edge isn’t guaranteed to last. Just because you start as a 5-star doesn’t mean you can’t finish as a 2-star — and just because you start as a 2-star doesn’t mean you can’t climb all the way to 5-star status. Maintaining a top rating will require near-perfection throughout your high school journey.
After selecting your starting star rating, your next major decision is choosing your position and archetype — a choice that defines how you play and how schools view your potential.
In College Football 26, you can play as a Quarterback, Halfback, Wide Receiver, MIKE Linebacker, or Cornerback. Each position now features new, uniquely designed archetypes that reflect the diverse styles and skill sets seen across the college football landscape. This year, we’ve overhauled the entire archetype system to better mirror the real traits that make each player type distinct — from physical tools to mental makeup.
For example, Halfback now includes six archetypes. You might be an East/West Playmaker, a shiftier back who can create space and generate big-play moments, or an Elusive Bruiser, who combines agility in the open field with downhill physicality. Each archetype comes with its own starting attributes, skill group caps, and a curated set of physical abilities tailored to your style of play.
These choices don’t just shape how you play — they directly affect your recruiting path. Certain schools may be more or less interested in your archetype depending on how well you fit their scheme. A service academy like Army or Navy, for example, may be hesitant to pursue a Pocket Passer because it doesn’t align with their offensive system. That doesn’t mean you can’t earn their interest — it just means you’ll have to work harder to change minds.
To read the entire College Football Road to Glory Deep Dive, please click on the link below.
