EA College Football Cover Includes Colorado Bufaloes Easter Egg, No Deion Sanders

For most viewers, it’s a quick blink-and-you-miss-it detail. But for Buffs Nation, it’s a pointed Easter egg and, notably, the only visible reference to Colorado football on the poster.

It's a sharp contrast from last year when EA Sports made Colorado coach Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes the face of their long-awaited reboot.

In 2025, Colorado’s high-flying two-way star cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter was front and center—literally.

The then-Heisman Trophy Award hopeful appeared on the cover of EA's College Football 25 in full Buffs uniform, embodying a new era of Colorado football swagger.

It turned out the hype wasn’t just promotional.

Hunter delivered one of the most dominant seasons in recent college football history—becoming a unanimous All-American, winning the Heisman Trophy, and eventually going No. 2 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2025 NFL Draft.

EA Sports capitalized on the hype of the Heisman, releasing a Travis Hunter limited-edition “Cheat Code” shirt and poster to celebrate.

Now, one year later, Colorado has gone from the ranks of main character to non-player character—not exactly a flattering shift in the world of video games.

The 2026 College Football game cover will feature two powerhouse playmakers—Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams and Ohio State’s standout receiver Jeremiah Smith.

EA Sports also released a promotional poster spotlighting “Powerhouse Programs” and “Real World Coaches,” featuring college football legends like Tim Tebow and Reggie Bush alongside current head coaches such as Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, and Oregon’s Dan Lanning.

But with "Coach Prime" missing, it’s hard not to wonder: was this a missed opportunity to continue showcasing one of the sport’s most influential figures?

That absence is striking to some Colorado fans, especially considering how much national buzz Sanders has generated since arriving in Boulder.

One fan on X wrote: "No coach prime or any CU players on cover this time "

Few figures have done more to energize a college football brand.

From packed practices and games to record-breaking TV ratings and headline-grabbing transfers, Sanders has transformed Colorado into a national brand—one that resonates with casual fans, recruits, and media alike.

The Buffs are also the focus of a new three-part Netflix docuseries, continuing a run of visibility that few programs in the country can match.

And while Colorado didn’t finish 2024 with a victory at the Valero Alamo Bowl, the program remains one of the sport’s most talked-about storylines because of "Coach Prime."

Last year, EA Sports fully embraced that story.

This year, it feels more like a passing mention—albeit one that still lingers in the minds of rival Nebraska fans, as the “BEAT CU” plate playfully reminds.

While this year’s NCAA College Football release might not hit the same for Colorado fans, it still serves as a satisfying reminder that the Buffs are living rent-free in the minds of Nebraska faithful.

And for now, the only way the Corn will be beating the Buffs is with a controller in hand.