As if it was possible to generate even more hype for EA Sports' upcoming College Football 25 title, fans of the series got their most enticing peak yet Friday. College Football 25 appeared on the PlayStation Store with the option for fans to wish list the game ahead of its expected summer release.
EA added a countdown timer to its website, promising more news about College Football 25 within the next week. The timer is set to end on May 16 at 11 a.m. ET.
Friday's listing also includes what appears to be cover art for a deluxe addition of the game, featuring multiple prominent programs and current college football players. Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado athlete Travis Hunter are front and center, with their names and numbers displayed on the back of their jerseys.
The deluxe edition cover of EA Sports College Football 25 just dropped on the PlayStation Store 👀 pic.twitter.com/gNhc2kbO5F
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 10, 2024
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins also appear, as well as unnamed players from programs like Clemson, USC and Notre Dame. The PlayStation Store listing also includes an in-game screen shot showing Notre Dame players preparing to run out of the tunnel inside Notre Dame Stadium.
Speaking of Ewers, his backup at Texas, Arch Manning, is not likely to appear in the game as he was not among the 10,000-plus players to opt-in for the game.
Players who opted-in for College Football 25 receive $600 NIL checks, while several high-profile athletes landed more lucrative deals that include branding and trailer-appearances for the title ahead of the game's summer 2024 release.
EA Sports confirmed in February that its revival of the college football video game series, which has been on ice since 2013, will release this summer. The company put out a hype trailer and released renderings of some in-game assets, including player models, mascots and stadiums.
A May 16 news update is expected, according to EA Sports.
What to know about the NCAA 25 deluxe cover stars
Michigan RB Donovan Edwards
CBS Sports Top 100 Ranking: Not ranked
Edwards might be seen by some as a curious choice to be absolute front-and-center, but reigning national champion Michigan is deserving of primo representation and it lost a trove of players to the NFL Draft. Defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson Jr. are better players, but they don't have the mass appeal of Edwards. Edwards rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries in the title win vs. Washington. He gets the backfield mostly to himself with Blake Corum gone.
Texas QB Quinn Ewers
CBS Sports Top 100 Ranking: No. 15
As Texas migrates to the SEC, all eyes will be on Quinn Ewers to see if the former No. 1 overall recruit can take the final leap to an elite, national championship-winning quarterback. He has a loaded system of skill players around him. More games like his road showing at Alabama (349 yards, three touchdowns in a win) or Big 12 Championship throttling of Oklahoma State (454 yards, four touchdowns) will work just fine.
Colorado CB Travis Hunter
CBS Sports Top 100 Ranking: No. 1
The most famous dude in all of college football is Travis Hunter, who plays both ways for a Colorado team that receives no shortage of headlines. Hunter will likely stick at cornerback in the NFL, where he's a projected top-3 pick. Hunter was the No. 1-ranked recruit in the class of 2022 who made Signing Day shockwaves when he flipped from Florida State to sign with Jackson State and Deion Sanders. When Sanders left Jackson State for the head coaching job at Colorado in 2023, Hunter followed. He's pure dynamite.
MORE: Projecting highest-rated players in NCAA 25 video game
