When EA Sports revealed its long-awaited College Football 26 ratings, fans of the Oklahoma Sooners were expecting to see their team represented with the kind of respect that echoes the program’s rich legacy. However, what they received instead was a wave of controversial surprises that have left Sooner Nation debating everything from player evaluations to the overall direction of the team heading into the 2025 season. EA’s ratings have always sparked heated reactions, but this year’s numbers hit differently in Norman—and not in a good way.
For a program that boasts seven national titles, a Heisman tradition, and a consistent presence in college football’s upper echelon, the Sooners’ overall team rating in CFB 26 felt like a gut punch. EA Sports assigned Oklahoma an 86 overall rating, placing them noticeably behind several teams they’ve traditionally competed with on equal footing—or often dominated. While programs like Georgia, Ohio State, and Michigan earned ratings in the 90s, the Sooners found themselves clumped in with second-tier programs despite a roster full of promising talent and returning stars.
The biggest shock for fans wasn’t just the team rating—it was how individual players were assessed. Oklahoma’s quarterback situation, while not as nationally hyped as in previous years, still features a promising signal-caller in Jackson Arnold. The redshirt freshman has shown flashes of brilliance and has been tabbed as the heir apparent for some time. Yet EA gave him a mid-70s overall rating, sparking immediate backlash from fans and analysts who expected him to be in the low-to-mid 80s range, especially given his elite arm strength and leadership potential.
Similarly, standout running back Gavin Sawchuk, who finished last season strong with multiple 100-yard performances, was given a surprisingly pedestrian rating in the high 70s. This shocked fans who had watched him torch Big 12 defenses late in the year and expected him to be one of the conference’s top-rated backs in the game. Even on defense, where Oklahoma has made significant strides under Brent Venables, the game’s ratings seemed to ignore progress. Star linebacker Danny Stutsman, a linchpin of the defense and one of the most productive tacklers in the country, was given an 81—far below what many believe he deserves based on film and statistics alone.
The frustration for Sooner fans runs deeper than just numbers. It’s about perception. EA Sports, whether intentionally or not, sends a message to millions of gamers and college football followers with these ratings. For Oklahoma, a program that is about to enter its second season in the SEC, these numbers seem to echo a growing national skepticism about whether the Sooners are ready to compete in college football’s toughest conference. Critics and rivals are quick to point to the Sooners’ up-and-down 2024 season and inconsistent SEC debut as justification for the lower ratings, but fans argue that EA’s assessments are based more on recent headlines than actual potential and performance.
Brent Venables’ defense has been steadily improving, and while the transition to the SEC hasn’t been seamless, Oklahoma is still considered a dangerous team with NFL-caliber talent across the board. The EA ratings, however, paint a different picture—one that suggests the Sooners are in rebuilding mode rather than reloading for a serious run in 2025. That’s a narrative Sooner Nation fiercely rejects, and one that may serve as fuel for the program heading into the fall.
One of the more puzzling aspects of the ratings was the apparent lack of recognition for Oklahoma’s elite recruiting. The 2024 and 2025 classes were stacked with blue-chip prospects, including several five-star defenders and offensive playmakers who have already made noise in spring practices. While it’s understandable that true freshmen wouldn’t be rated in the 90s right away, the fact that many received ratings in the low 70s—even those expected to start or rotate heavily—was taken as a slight against the Sooners’ development pipeline.
It wasn’t just the fans who voiced their displeasure. Several Oklahoma players took to social media, posting cryptic messages and memes that suggested they were using the perceived disrespect as motivation. One tweet from an unnamed OU player simply read: “Bet,” while another posted a screenshot of his in-game rating next to his real-life stats from last season with a laughing emoji. Even some former Sooners chimed in, expressing shock that a program with such a rich history and deep talent pool could be rated so low by the most prominent football gaming franchise.
From a technical standpoint, EA Sports claims their ratings are derived from a mix of advanced analytics, player performance data, and scouting input. While that sounds comprehensive, the opaque nature of the process opens the door for bias—or at least the appearance of it. Oklahoma’s recent move to the SEC, a turbulent transition, and the lack of national titles since the early 2000s may all be playing into a subconscious narrative that EA’s developers are buying into.
Some fans have argued that Oklahoma is being punished for the sins of the past—a series of near-misses in the College Football Playoff, defensive breakdowns on big stages, and high-profile coaching changes. Yet others see this as a symptom of a larger trend: the media and sports industries continually underrating Oklahoma until they force their way back into national prominence through undeniable results. If anything, the controversy surrounding the ratings may end up benefiting the team by solidifying a classic underdog mentality—something Oklahoma hasn’t been able to claim in decades.
The Sooners’ schedule in 2025 doesn’t do them any favors either, and perhaps EA took that into account. With matchups against Alabama, Georgia, and Texas on the horizon, it’s understandable why some might hedge their bets. But for Oklahoma faithful, this kind of thinking only underscores the disconnect between the analysts and the reality of what’s brewing in Norman. After all, last season’s close contests and explosive offensive potential showed that the Sooners are not far off from turning the corner.
There is hope that EA will adjust the ratings as the season progresses, especially if Oklahoma comes out of the gate strong. EA Sports has implemented live updates and roster patches in previous versions of their football games, and CFB 26 is expected to follow suit. That means early-season performances could lead to significant midseason boosts for players who outperform their initial ratings—something Sooner fans are already counting on.
In the meantime, the low ratings have galvanized a fanbase that feels slighted and overlooked. The controversy has even sparked renewed interest in the game itself, as players rush to either prove EA wrong or manually edit rosters to reflect their personal opinions. Online forums are flooded with custom rosters that bump up Oklahoma’s key players, and some fans have already vowed to lead the Sooners to virtual national titles in spite of EA’s “bias.”
Ultimately, the backlash against Oklahoma’s CFB 26 ratings is more than just gaming noise—it reflects a broader conversation about respect, recognition, and the ever-changing landscape of college football. As the Sooners prepare for another season in the SEC, they’ll be carrying the weight of not only real-life expectations but also digital doubt. Whether those low ratings are a curse or a blessing in disguise remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Oklahoma is once again playing with something to prove. And in Norman, that’s often when they’re at their most dangerous.
