The No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers will host the Mississippi State Bulldogs this weekend. To prepare, Knox News ran 100 simulations of the matchup on EA Sports College Football 25 to see what the outcome could be before kickoff Nov. 9. Via Gridiron Heroics

‘Early Access’: People Can Play EA Sports College Football 26 Before Official Launch

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 3:01 PM ET

Fans waiting for the release of EA Sports’ “College Football 26” only have a few more days to wait before the official launch date on July 10. However, there are ways to gain access to the popular video game before it goes live for all.

Following a release in 2014, the franchise took a break for over a decade before releasing an updated version of the game in 2025. “College Football 25” was a big hit last year, gaining 2.8 million players by the official launch before becoming the best-selling sports game of all time in the United States.

College Football 26 can be played a few days early

2.2 million players bought the Deluxe Edition of the game, allowing the subscribers to play the game three days before the official launch.

EA Sports is offering die-hard college fans an opportunity to play the game days early this year. Per the EA Sports website, the game’s official launch time is July 10 at 11 a.m. CDT. The price for the standard game is $69.99.

However, fans who purchase the Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle (which includes Madden 26), will receive early access to the game beginning on Monday, July 7. The Deluxe Edition of the game costs $99.99, and the price of the MVP Bundle is $149.99.

$10 per day

Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) walks off the field after the win over Kentucky after an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Knoxville, Tenn.

Essentially, fans can pay $30 to play the game three days early, or $10 per day. The Deluxe Edition includes a few features not grouped into the Standard Edition: 4600 College Football Points, Early Access Solo Challenges, and Ultimate Team Hero Player Item.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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