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Buckeye Stars Earn Top Ratings in EA Sports College Football 26
Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes mascot performs before the CFP National Championship college football game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

EA Sports released the top-rated players in College Football 26, and at the top of the list on both sides of the ball are Ohio State Buckeyes Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs.

Smith, who is featured alongside fellow sophomore wideout Ryan Williams from Alabama, is the highest-rated player in the game with a 98 overall. As a freshman in 2024, Smith hauled in 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. His yardage and scores led the Big Ten and earned him All-American and All-Freshman honors at the national and conference levels.

As for Downs, he checks in at a 96 overall. Downs spent his freshman season with the Crimson Tide, but transferred to Ohio State after Nick Saban announced his retirement. In his first season with the Buckeyes, Downs secured 82 tackles, eight for a loss with a half sack plus six pass deflections and two interceptions. He was named the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and was honored as a consensus All-American.

EA Sports released the top-rated players at each position group, and unfortunately, only one other Buckeye was mentioned. Purdue transfer tight end Max Klare earned a 91 overall, making him the third-highest rated tight end in the game.

Still, the Buckeyes should feature plenty of highly-rated players for fans to dominate the collegiate gridiron with. Late last week, EA Sports released the overall team ratings for the top programs in college football, and the Buckeyes checked in with an 88 overall, which tied for second alongside six other teams behind Alabama’s 89 overall. The Buckeyes' offense received a 91 rating, tied for the best in the game, and the defense received a 92 rating, tied for third-best in the game.

EA Sports College Football 26 releases on July 10 on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Those who pre-order the Deluxe or MVP editions of the game can play three days earlier and get a bunch of extras for their game.


This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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