College Football 25 won’t include some major awards after NCFAA rejects EA offer

Several of the major college football awards will not be included EA Sports’ upcoming college football game, a source briefed on the discussions confirmed to The Athletic. On3 first reported the news.

Mark Wolpert, the president of the National College Football Awards Association, a coalition of many of the sport’s individual awards, told On3 the offer from EA for the rights to include the awards in College Football 25 was “not adequate.” Wolpert was open to the possibility of reconsidering and being included in future editions of the game if EA changed its offer, but in this year’s game, the following awards won’t be included:

• Bednarik Award (top defensive player)
• Davey O’Brien Award (top quarterback)
• Doak Walker Award (top running back
• Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back)
• Outland Trophy (top interior lineman)
• Lou Groza Award (top kicker)
• Ray Guy Award (top punter)

The Heisman Trophy is operated independently by the Heisman Trust, but there has been no official announcement from EA or the Trust about the Heisman’s inclusion. A representative for the Heisman Trust was not immediately available for comment.

Other awards, like the Butkus Award (top linebacker) and Bronko Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player) are also not part of the NCFAA, but it is not yet clear whether they will be included in the game, the details of which have been kept tightly under wraps ahead of its return for the first time in more than a decade. College Football 25 will include some awards, and more may eventually be included in future games, the source said.

Wolpert declined to provide specifics on EA’s offer to the NCFAA but told On3 it was a “nominal increase based on the 2014 number,” when the game was last released.

In previous editions of EA’s college football video game, users playing Season or Dynasty Mode or using created players in Road To Glory or other similar game modes could win and collect the trophies given out during the postseason every December.

Earlier this week, EA Sports announced that more than 10,000 players — almost 90 percent of the rosters expected to be made available on the game — have officially opted into the game. Multiple reports this week indicated that Texas quarterback Arch Manning was opting out of inclusion in the game. Manning would be the most notable player to decline to be included thus far.

Players who opt into the game are provided $600 and a copy of the game. Some athletes will receive additional compensation as ambassadors for the game.