Why the release of EA Sports College Football 25 is a celebration for Utes players, fans alike

Trevor Reilly still holds bragging rights from 11 years ago when he dominated a classic college football video game with outdated graphics and gameplay from 2013.

Reilly was talking trash with former Utes teammates, with controllers in their hands and NCAA 14 on the television. It was a tradition players relished at the start of each season because — even if their in-game avatars were represented by either a fake name or by number alone — it gave them the chance to be in the game they grew up playing.

“We (Utah) weren’t a very good team then,” Reilly, the former Ute linebacker, said. “We were 5-7. I still have that game. It’s fun for my kids to have. They can still play that game with me in it.”

That sense of imagination, connecting college football fans, players and even coaches alike, went on a 11-year hiatus following the release of NCAA 14. A lawsuit arose from former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon surrounding issues with name, image and likeness (NIL) rights, and EA Sports stopped making college sports video games.

“I guess what was disappointing is that they didn’t figure it out earlier, right? A lot of kids missed out on a great opportunity of being in a video game,” Reilly told The Salt Lake Tribune, while reflecting on the game’s hiatus.

For years following the game’s discontinuation, NCAA 14 fans gathered in online forums, creating up-to-date rosters and hoping for the game’s eventual return. Others opted to send off their Xbox 360s and PS3s to console hackers, so they could download NCAA 14 Revamped, a modded version with updated graphics and uniforms.

Those dark times are now over. EA Sports’ College Football 25 officially released July 19.

For those who never stopped believing...

Why the release of EA Sports College Football 25 is a celebration for Utes players, fans alike

Why the release of EA Sports College Football 25 is a celebration for Utes players, fans alike

Why the release of EA Sports College Football 25 is a celebration for Utes players, fans alike

Why the release of EA Sports College Football 25 is a celebration for Utes players, fans alike

Why the release of EA Sports College Football 25 is a celebration for Utes players, fans alike