After lighting up the college football world as true freshmen in 2024, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams will be the cover athletes of “College Football 26,” EA Sports announced Tuesday.

Smith was arguably the best player on Ohio State’s national championship-winning team in 2024. The first-team All-American set Big Ten freshman records for most receiving yards (1,315) and receiving touchdowns (15) last season.

“Being on the cover of EA SPORTS ‘College Football 26’ is a tremendous privilege, and I’m proud to represent Ohio State alongside Coach [Ryan] Day while carrying the Buckeye legacy forward, celebrating the passion of our fans and the tradition of this incredible program,” Smith said in a statement.

Williams, meanwhile, had 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns, being named a freshman All-American as he was 17-years-old for the entirety of the 2024 season.

“As a lifelong fan of EA SPORTS games, being on the cover of College Football 26 is a dream come true,” Williams said in a statement. “It was incredible to see myself in ‘College Football 25’ last year, and now to represent Alabama and share this moment with fans who’ve played EA SPORTS games for years is unreal.”

Dating back to the “NCAA Football” iteration of EA Sports’ college football video game, Smith will become the first Ohio State player to appear on the standard cover of the game. Williams is the third Alabama player to appear on the standard cover of the game, joining former Crimson Tide running backs Shaun Alexander and Mark Ingram. 

While Smith and Williams will be featured on the cover of the standard version of “College Football 26,” the deluxe version will include more players. Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, LSU quarterback Garrett Nusmeier and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik are among the group of players who’ll join Smith and Williams on the cover of the deluxe edition.

The inclusion of more players on the cover of the deluxe version is similar to what EA Sports did with the cover of the deluxe version of “College Football 25.” However, the cover of the deluxe version of “College Football 26” will also include coaches, college football legends, mascots and fans: Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Penn State’s James Franklin, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham, Ole Miss‘ Lane Kiffin and Oregon’s Dan Lanning.

Past Heisman winners Reggie Bush and Tim Tebow, along with former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, are the three college football legends who are included on the deluxe version cover of “College Football 26.” All three players were also previously cover athletes on “NCAA Football.”

As for the mascots, the Oregon Duck, Hairy Dawg (Georgia), Smokey (Tennessee) and the Tiger (Clemson) will appear on the deluxe cover of “College Football 26.”

“Last year, when we brought back the pride, pageantry, atmospheres and traditions of College Football, the response from fans was overwhelming,” EA SPORTS College Football VP, Franchise Strategy & Marketing Evan Dexter said in a statement. “With College Football 26, we’re celebrating our sophomore season with two generational sophomore wide receivers on the cover and we can’t wait for the world to experience even more heart and authenticity across athletes, stadiums, coaches and fans. Tune in this Thursday to see what makes it so special.”

EA Sports’ decision to have multiple players appear on the cover of “College Football 26” mirrors what it did when it relaunched the video game last year. Former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, former Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and former Michigan running back Donovan Edwards appeared on the standard cover of last year’s game, with Hunter winning the Heisman in 2024. 

In addition to sharing the cover athletes for “College Football 26,” EA Sports also announced that the video game will be available for purchase on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game can also be preordered now through the EA Sports MVP bundle, which includes the deluxe versions of “College Football 26” and “Madden 26,” granting three-day early access to both games.

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