EA Sports Releases College Football 26 with Disrespectful Ratings for Kansas
EA Sports has finally launched its long-awaited College Football 26 video game, but the player ratings have raised eyebrows—especially among Kansas football fans. Not a single Jayhawk earned a rating of 90 or higher, and only nine KU players cracked the 80+ mark.
That’s a harsh assessment from the EA Sports developers. Kansas is one of just three teams without an overall team rating of 80 or more. The Jayhawks are tied with UCF at 78, and only Oklahoma State ranks lower at 74.
The individual unit ratings don’t quite add up either. The offense was given an 82, the defense a 78, and special teams an 81—an average of 80.3. Even with rounding, that should land Kansas at an 80 overall, not 78. The defense’s 78 in particular feels undervalued.
Top-Rated Kansas Players in College Football 26
Leading the way is center Bryce Foster, who received the highest individual rating on the team. He’s also KU’s only representative on the 2025 All-Big 12 First Team. Given that honor, many believe Foster deserved a rating in the 90s.
Other notable Jayhawks rated at 80 or above:
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Dean Miller, DE – 87
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Jalon Daniels, QB – 87
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LeShon Williams, RB – 85
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Kobe Baines, RG – 83
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DJ Graham II, CB – 83
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DJ Withers, DT – 82
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Laith Marjan, K – 82
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Tommy Dunn Jr., DL – 80
While these players received respectable marks, glaring omissions and undervalued performances tell a different story.
Who Got Snubbed?
Several players were notably underrated—or left out entirely. Most surprising is Daniel Hishaw Jr., a potential starting running back with a career average of 5.3 yards per carry. He’s not even included in the game.
Quarterback Jalon Daniels, once a preseason Big 12 Player of the Year pick, is rated below expectations—likely due to injuries in 2023 and a slow 2024 start. Still, his dynamic playmaking ability warrants more respect.
The receiving corps also received little love from EA:
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Jackson Cook – 73
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Bryson Hayes – 70
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Doug Emilien – 67
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Keaton Kubecks – 66
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Myron Bunker – 64
Several others—including Emmanuel Henderson Jr., Levi Wentz, and Bryson Canty—weren’t rated at all, despite their expected roles on the depth chart.
Given so many unranked or low-rated players, it’s hard to understand how EA arrived at an 82 offensive unit score.
A Tall Task, But Still Disappointing
Creating accurate ratings across 134 FBS programs, each with 80+ players, is a monumental task. This isn’t the NFL, where there are just 32 teams with 53-man rosters. Still, the Kansas ratings feel particularly inconsistent.
Missing one of the team’s top running backs, lowballing its quarterback, and ignoring key wide receivers paint a frustrating picture for Jayhawk fans. These ratings also imply a lack of faith in Lance Leipold and his staff’s ability to develop or recruit elite talent.
For KU fans, these numbers sting. But for those planning to play the game—consider it extra motivation. Go prove the techies wrong.
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