Not sure what it was about Thursday night’s 52-40 victory over Temple that made a few UCF players discuss ratings in a hypothetical NCAA Football video game reboot, but there was most definitely conversation regarding it in UCF’s post-game press conference.
“I would play with Greg McCrae, his speed should at least be a 95,” said McKenzie Milton, “They definitely need to bring that video game back so I can play as guys like Greg, Adrian Killins and Tre Nixon.”
Greg McCrae would later go on to say that if the NCAA video game was out, he would say his offensive line deserved 99 ratings across the board. Thanks to that offensive line, McCrae was able to rush for 188 yards on just 16 carries and added a touchdown in his biggest game of the season.
With UCF caught in the middle of all this playoff controversy, it’s fair for them to let their mind wander after their 21st consecutive victory to what could be on the digital gridiron. In fact, there is probably no better time for the franchise to reboot due to all the hype surrounding what is happening. Game modes, conference realignments, playoff expansion, and so much more could happen in the newest edition if it ever surfaces again. We’ll get to more of that in a bit.
These Knights aren’t the first group of college football athletes to call for a reboot during the 2018 campaign. Tua Tagovailoa tweeted back in September to bring the famous franchise back to life.
The question now is, can it happen? Unfortunately the answer in the near future isn’t so promising.
For those that don’t know, NCAA Football 14 by EA Sports was the final installation of the video game franchise before it ceased production due to legal battles. The NCAA was concerned about their student athletes being used as a money printing machine for EA which is the primary (and much shorter) reason for the game to stop production.
There is some hope glimmering on the horizon. There is a group of individuals keeping NCAA Football 14 alive and well, but you need to be on the old consoles (Xbox 360 and PS3) to continue playing. The group continually updates rosters and makes them available via file sharing. Additionally, there are plans in place to release a new game, “Gridiron Champions 2020” which will have similar teams to the NCAA, but doesn’t have permission to use names of the colleges.
While those options are nice backup plans, it would be much better and easier if EA brought back the game. Unfortunately, the NCAA most likely will be a stick in the mud and not let that happen as long as their player’s likeness (even height, weight, and uniform number) are being used. The NCAA also prohibits compensation for anything at the collegiate level, which means even giving every player involved a free copy could be an issue.
With all that said, let’s just kick back the recliners for a second and imagine the “what if” scenario. If indeed the game came back, there would be countless new ways to play. Since UCF brought it up yesterday, we might as well start there. Users could play as UCF and get them into the playoffs in a dynasty mode or just settle it straight up in a play now mode against Alabama.
Conference realignments could be a thing and even expanding the playoffs or creating an entire new system would add a whole new dimension for the fans of college football. Throw in the selection shows near the end of the season to add anticipation as the user waits to see where their team is ranked. On top of all that add custom uniforms as it seems teams are coming out with new combinations every week. Whether it would be scheduling power houses to home and home deals or recruiting the next Heisman winner, fans would be drooling over the latest release of NCAA Football. The only question remains, when will it return?
