Oct 26, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell prior to the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Camp Randall Stadium. Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Wisconsin Badgers left out of EA Sports College Football 26 trailer and deluxe cover

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated May 29, 2025 11:03 AM ET

The Wisconsin Badgers will be an interesting team to play with in this year's edition of EA Sports College Football 26.

But you wouldn't be able to tell from the trailer or cover art for the game.

EA Sports released the official trailer for the latest edition of the popular college football video game, highlighting a few dozen different football programs to showcase the tradition of the sport.

Wisconsin wasn't included in a single frame.

The Playbook is in your hands…Cement your program in the history books.

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After a 5-7 season in 2024, it's understandable that the Badgers wouldn't be featured prominently, but a complete snub feels a bit over the top for a program with a strong reputation for consistency.

The trailer includes plenty of other schools that were unimpressive in 2024.

The intro follows the Virginia Tech Hokies running onto the field out of the tunnel, coming off of a 6-7 season.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina gets mentioned by name as they showed the Tarheels' Kenan Memorial Stadium. UNC went 6-7 last year with a 3-5 record in the ACC.

The 5-7 Oregon State Beavers even showed up, albeit in a rivalry game against Oregon.

But the 5-7 Badgers? Nowhere to be found.

Powerhouse Programs. Real World Coaches. Electric Traditions. Experience it all in #CFB26.

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— EASPORTSCollege (@EASPORTSCollege) May 27, 2025

They had to make sure to leave time for powerhouse Group of Five schools like USF and East Carolina in the trailer, so there just wasn't any room to squeeze Wisconsin in.

It's just a trailer, and the Badgers will still be a full part of the game, but the omission feels notable when so many other schools were included.

It could be a sign that player ratings for the program in the game will be low too. Wisconsin will have to earn its way up in 2025 and back into relevance for 2026.