EA College Football 25 Stadium Rankings Spark Online Outcry

EA College Football 25 Stadium Rankings Spark Online Outcry

By: Brooks L | 06/26/2024

EA College Football 25

The long-awaited return of Electronic Arts (EA) Sports' first college football video game since 2013 is set to hit shelves on July 19th (July 16th for early access buyers), generating an unprecedented level of hype.

EA Sports College Football 25 just released its 'Top 25 Toughest Places to Play' and let's just put it this way, the internet is up in arms over many of the selections.

The criteria for these rankings factor in historical home win percentage, home attendance, ongoing win streaks, team prestige, and more.

Top 10 Toughest Places to Play

In the top 10, you have your expected stadiums such as #2 Bryant-Denny (Alabama), #3 Tiger Stadium (LSU), #4 Ohio Stadium (Ohio State), and #5 Sanford Stadium (Georgia). These are high-winning programs steeped in tradition and supported by passionate fan bases that pack stadiums week in and week out.

DawgNation, on the social media site X, voiced their displeasure with only being ranked as high as #5 and provided some valid reasoning on the absurdity of Sanford Stadium's position on the list:

But let's dive into #1 on the list of 'Toughest Places to Play'—Kyle Field (Texas A&M). They consistently pack the stadium with over 102,000 fans, boast the passionate Yell Crew (See below), and have the famed 12th man. However, critics point to their unexpected losses such as the 2022 upset to Appalachian State, suggesting inconsistencies in these rankings. One could argue that the loss to unranked Appalachian State, 17-14 at home, while being ranked #6 in the nation should have automatically disqualified them from the top 10.

@jackmacbarstool

Texas A&M yell leaders are the greatest gift. Just unliMITED lol’s.

♬ original sound - Jack Mac

Here's the full list of the top 25 'Toughest Places to Play':

Florida State's Seminoles planting of the spear pregame is just about one of the best traditions in college football. It truly gives goosebump vibes to witness it in person. The stadium layout of Doak Campbell makes for one of the best places to view a game, ensuring there's not a bad seat in the stadium.

Oklahoma was the sole representative from its state, boasting an average attendance of 83,741 (ranking 13th nationwide) and a capacity percentage exceeding 104%.

Tennessee's Neyland Stadium made headlines with its upset victory over Alabama in 2022, where the crowd's energy was palpable enough to storm the field and take down the goalposts in celebration. The goalposts somehow made their way into the Tennesee River.

Michigan Stadium, known as 'The Big House,' is drawing complaints from fans with its #16 ranking. They are the defending national champions and regularly sell out their 107,000+ seat stadium.

Jordan-Hare (Auburn), Williams-Brice Stadium (South Carolina), and Lane Stadium (Virginia Tech) boast great traditions with 'War Eagle,' 'Sandstorm,' and 'Enter Sandman,' respectively. Yet, they find themselves outside of the top 10. With continued improved play on the field, we could see them move up the rankings in the future.

FB: Virginia Tech Football Enter Sandman entrance (Pitt).

Boise State ended up being the only Group of 5 school to make the Top 25. They are always a competitive team with a passionate fanbase.

EA Sports says home-field advantage will impact each player differently in the game. Senior classmen with experience are less likely to be impacted compared to 'green' freshmen. Pre-snap recognition is crucial in gameplay, and home-field advantage significantly impacts a player's effectiveness on both offense and defense.

So, are you happy with where your team ended up on the list of toughest places to play? Let the debate begin on whether EA Sports got it right with their selections...

  • Published
    Jun 26, 2024
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