EA CFB 26 expands Road to Glory with more starting scenarios and decisions

The Road to Glory mode was celebrated as a standout feature of EA Sports College Football 25 and this year's sequel aims to build on that foundation with more options and depth. This begins right at the start of a new career, as players will be able to choose their initial star rating. From a 5-Star Elite to a 2-Star Underdog, each scenario offers different challenges.

An Elite player starts out with more abilities than an Underdog, but expectations will be different as well. Quarterback, Halfback, Wide Receiver, MIKE Linebacker and Cornerback are available as playable positions, each coming with unique archetypes that have been reworked to better reflect each position's needed traits and skills.

Once these important basics are determined, players can customize their character's looks and background, including their high school -- another crucial piece of the puzzle, since the school's location influences which colleges might be interested in recruiting them. Players can even build their own high school team for this purpose. Customization includes details like running styles, signature throws and the way the player carries the ball.

In high school, every decision the player makes will affect how colleges look at them, from their interviews with a local newspaper to their actions on the pitch. EA stated that more agency and depth in the recruitment process was a big piece of player feedback from CFB 25, so CFB 26 is making this phase of the campaign more engaging. Players will get all the information they need to understand how potential colleges currently see them, giving them time and tools to react to that and aim for their dream destination.

Players get five high school games, each featuring four key moments, to build an impressive tape for recruiters. These highlights will consist of scenarios tailored to allow players to shine depending on their chosen archetype. Do well and your star will rise, choke and your prospects will not look as bright. Deciding which moments to complete and put on the tape is crucial, as various colleges will value scenarios differently.

All those moments and decisions on and off the field will eventually lead to scholarship offers -- but players don't have to take the first one they come across. Offers can be improved and the room for negotiation naturally expands for players who deliver strong performances, though it can similarly shrink in case of a slump.

In college, players will get to engage with a reworked weekly energy system, deepened coach trust mechanics, and the wear and tear system that plays a major role throughout CFB 26.