The college football season doesn’t start for another month, but that doesn’t mean players can’t get a head start on taking the field.
At least virtually, athletes have been able to play for their teams on the EA Sports college football video game, which was officially released Friday. Louisville football players Tyler Shough, Ashton Gillotte and Quincy Riley were all excited to be included in the game.
“When I was younger, it was always a dream to be in the game,” Riley said on Courier Journal’s “The C.L. Brown Show.” “… But now that you’re actually (in) the game, it’s crazy.”
Riley admitted he’s not a big gamer. He just bought his first PS5 last week but plans to get in a few games before fall camp starts in August. He’s played it once so far and had a few critiques. The first being his numbers: Despite being the highest-rated Cardinal and ranked No. 42 nationally, the cornerback got a 92 overall rating to go along with speed (92), acceleration (96), strength (59), awareness (89) and jumping (95).
Gillotte was mostly satisfied with his numbers and was flattered by getting an 88 in jumping. The defensive lineman’s strength rating (87) was another story.
“Maybe I don’t show it crazy much on film, but I feel like I could be a little bit higher,” he said. “But everything else like I was like, I’m cool with that.”
Gillotte and Riley had feedback about their hair, which was an overall theme for U of L. While head coach Jeff Brohm was given hair in the game, Gillotte’s trademark curly locks were shorter than in real life. Riley said his character started with blond, short locks; when Riley’s character takes the field, the locks grow and change to all black.
“They’ve got little nicks and bruises in it,” Riley said. “You’ve just gotta bear with it. It’s a game at the end of the day.”
When it comes to picking teams, Gillotte will only play with Louisville when it comes to the ACC but makes some exceptions for out-of-conference squads. He reasons that it’s “a mental thing” and doesn’t want to “condition another team to be good in my mind.” That rules out Miami, which is about 45 miles south of Boca Raton, Florida, his hometown.
While Gillotte and Riley have played at least once, Shough hadn’t checked it out yet but was looking to get his first reps in at ACC Kickoff on Wednesday. The Cardinals quarterback said he gave his game and console to his little brother to play. Between football and being a newlywed, his time is almost always occupied.
“Three years ago, when everybody’s playing ‘Fortnite’ and ‘Madden,’ if that would have come (out), I probably would’ve played it then,” he said.
Despite poking fun at their appearances and ratings, players seem to have an undeniable excitement about EA Sports bringing back its college football video game.
“It hits different when you’re in the game,” Gillotte said. “It just feels different.”
Reach Louisville football, women’s basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on X at @Alexis_Cubit.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: EA Sports College Football 25: Louisville players review video game
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