BOOM
Four-star defensive lineman Damari Simeon commits to Ohio State.
Ohio State is top-five across the board in EA Sports College Football 26.
EA Sports revealed Friday that the Buckeyes will be the third-best team (88 overall), boasting the third-best offense (91 overall) and fifth-best defense (92 overall), when College Football 26 is released on July 10.
Jeremiah Smith bolsters Ohio State's team rating and offensive rating as the first at-launch 99 overall since EA Sports rebooted its college football franchise last summer. While EA Sports confirmed Smith's rating in its Dynasty and Team Builder Deep Dive earlier this week, ratings for the remainder of the Buckeyes' roster remain unconfirmed, despite reported leaks from various sources. Still, it's expected that Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Davison Igbinosun and Jermaine Mathews Jr. will be among Ohio State's top-rated players on the defensive side of the ball.
Smith and Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams star on the standard cover of College Football 26. The pair of pass catchers are also on the deluxe edition cover with Downs, Ryan Day and more.
In an interview with Fox Sports' Michael Cohen, Smith called his selection as an EA Sports cover athlete an honor.
"It's something that you dreamed of," Smith said. "But to actually think you would be a cover athlete, and then it actually happened, it's something crazy, for sure."
Here's a look at the top 25 team, offensive and defensive ratings in EA Sports College Football 26:
Team
- Alabama Crimson Tide | 89
- Texas Longhorns | 88
- Ohio State Buckeyes | 88
- Penn State Nittany Lions | 88
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 88
- Georgia Bulldogs | 88
- Clemson Tigers | 88
- Texas A&M Aggies | 88
- Oregon Ducks | 86
- LSU Tigers | 86
- Miami Hurricanes | 86
- Florida Gators | 86
- Texas Tech Red Raiders | 86
- Arizona State Sun Devils | 85
- Michigan Wolverines | 85
- Ole Miss Rebels | 85
- Oklahoma Sooners | 85
- Indiana Hoosiers | 85
- SMU Mustangs | 84
- Tennessee Volunteers | 84
- Missouri Tigers | 84
- Auburn Tigers | 84
- Duke Blue Devils | 84
- South Carolina Gamecocks | 82
- Illinois Fighting Illini | 82
The official Top 10 Overall Teams in #CFB26 pic.twitter.com/Zxod0PzS2b
— EASPORTSCollege (@EASPORTSCollege) June 27, 2025
Offense
- Texas Longhorns | 91
- Penn State Nittany Lions | 91
- Ohio State Buckeyes | 91
- Arizona State Sun Devils | 91
- Clemson Tigers | 89
- LSU Tigers | 89
- Alabama Crimson Tide | 89
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 89
- Florida Gators | 89
- Miami Hurricanes | 89
- Indiana Hoosiers | 89
- Texas A&M Aggies | 89
- Georgia Bulldogs | 87
- Oklahoma Sooners | 87
- SMU Mustangs | 87
- BYU Cougars | 87
- Baylor Bears | 87
- Texas Tech Red Raiders | 87
- Oregon Ducks | 85
- Ole Miss Rebels | 85
- USC Trojans | 85
- Boise State Broncos | 85
- Iowa State Cyclones | 85
- Nebraska Cornhuskers | 85
- South Carolina Gamecocks | 85
The most explosive offenses in College Football 26 are here! #CFB26 | @TexasFootball pic.twitter.com/EC8BWh8f2X
— EASPORTSCollege (@EASPORTSCollege) June 27, 2025
Defense
- Alabama Crimson Tide | 96
- Texas Longhorns | 94
- Penn State Nittany Lions | 94
- Georgia Bulldogs | 92
- Ohio State Buckeyes | 92
- Michigan Wolverines | 92
- Oregon Ducks | 92
- LSU Tigers | 92
- Texas Tech Red Raiders | 92
- Clemson Tigers | 90
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 90
- Texas A&M Aggies | 90
- Tennessee Volunteers | 88
- Indiana Hoosiers | 88
- Miami Hurricanes | 88
- Duke Blue Devils | 88
- Oklahoma Sooners | 88
- Illinois Fighting Illini | 86
- Kansas State Wildcats | 86
- Ole Miss Rebels | 86
- Pittsburgh Panthers | 86
- South Carolina Gamecocks | 84
- Arizona State Sun Devils | 84
- Iowa Hawkeyes | 84
- Florida Gators | 84
The best defenses in the game, led by the Crimson Tide #CFB26 | @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/bw3nn5KzCj
— EASPORTSCollege (@EASPORTSCollege) June 27, 2025
