EA Sports College Football 25 has been worth the wait for Big Ten football players

INDIANAPOLIS – College football fans had to wait 11 years − or 4,028 days − to play a new video game representing their favorite athletes and collegiate programs. While many held on to the memories of NCAA Football 14 as long as they could, these same people were certainly ready for a fresh experience.

They wanted current day players, conferences, graphics, rules and more. They got it all July 19, with the release of EA Sports College Football 25.

The biggest difference is that all players (who grant EA Sports permission) will have their name, image and likeness included in the video game. Perhaps no one on Day 1 of Big Ten Football Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium felt that impact more than Rutgers Linebacker Mohamed Toure.

Hailing from Pleasantville, New Jersey, Toure graduated from a high school with less than 1,000 students in a town with slightly more than 20,000 residents. More than that, the high school has produced just one NFL player in its history.

Dino Hall played 64 games for the Cleveland Browns between 1979 and 1983, and his college football days at Rowan University came almost 20 years before the first college football video game was released in 1993 on the Sega Genesis.

Even for the 21 major college football video games to be distributed before College Football 25, none of them showcased the name, image or likeness of its student-athletes. As Toure's 'MT' chain glistened, he expanded what it means to be a part of the first college sports video game in 11 years.

"I don't think people understand how much that means to me," Toure told IndyStar. "Coming from where I come from, there's not a lot of Division I football players that play on the level that I play on. For kids in my community to be able to play with me, somebody that's from their same community, somebody that they watched go to the school they go to, it's amazing.

"I have people reach out to me all the time like, 'Yo, I wanna be just like you.' Who knows how many lives I've changed, with just kids seeing me on the game."

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Here's how other Big Ten football players and personnel feel about the game's release:

Ryan Walters (Purdue, Head Coach)

"When I was in college (at Colorado from 2004-08) we played it all the time, and our names weren't on the player but our number was," Walters told IndyStar. "The gameplay is a lot better now than it was back then, and I have to remind my 10-year-old that it's not real life. Sometimes we gotta remind our players too, and if they wanted a higher rating then they gotta perform well on Saturdays."

Kydran Jenkins (Purdue, Linebacker)

"My whole life I've wanted to be in a video game. I feel like it's a dream come true," Jenkins said.

Hudson Card (Purdue, Quarterback)

"Seeing yourself on a video game is different from anything that I've experienced," Beck told IndyStar. " ... Especially when it first came out, the next day when we got in the locker room everyone was talking about it."

Gus Hartwig (Purdue, Center)

"I've been playing sometimes a little bit too much probably," Hartwig told IndyStar with a laugh. " ... In high school I bought the XBOX 360 just to be able to play (NCAA Football 14) again because you couldn't get it on the new consoles."

Defensive tackle Cole Brevard said he had played the game for more than 24 hours in less than a week.

Denzel Burke (Ohio State, Defensive Back)

"I didn't play yesterday, but I played every day before that all night," Burke told IndyStar. "I didn't play NCAA 14, so I'm kind of new to this scene. It's honestly a blessing to see myself in the Scarlet and Gray and see my last name on the jersey."

Burke is the 51st ranked player in the game. He is the second-highest ranked cornerback in the Big Ten and fifth in the entire position group.

Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State, Wide Receiver)

"The anitcipation for it was crazy, and they met all expectations," Egbuka told IndyStar. "That much is evident because me and none of my teammates can get off of it."

Egbuka is the 19th ranked player in the game. He is the highest ranked wide receiver in the Big Ten and fourth in the entire position group.

Jack Sawyer (Ohio State, Defensive Lineman)

"I was dying for it to come back, and it's surreal to be a part of the game its first year back," Sawyer said. "I know my overall is a 92, that's the first thing I looked at ... 85 strength? I need to get in contact with some of those guys at EA."

Sawyer is the 29th ranked player in the game. He is the second highest rated defensive lineman in the Big Ten and fifth highest rated in the entire position group.

Pat Bryant (Illinois, Wide Receiver)

Before Bryant took his seat for questions, he said he had just been playing against one of Northwestern's players.

"I feel like they could have threw me a little extra. They gave me an 81. I feel like I could've got an 83 or 84. Everything else was pretty accurate," Bryant told IndyStar. "A lot of my friends, especially my nephews, them having the chance to play with me can motivate them to get to the level I'm at now."

Gabe Jacas (Illinois, Outside Linebacker)

"Loading up the game and seeing myself was crazy," Jacas told IndyStar.

Seth Coleman (Illinois, Outside Linebacker)

"Gabe, he's a stick hog. Him and Pat have been hogging the sticks all day," Coleman told IndyStar. "But it's cool to see the feature of you in the game. You take pride in your name. One thing people can't take from you is your name."

A.J. Henning (Northwestern, Wide Receiver)

"It's exciting, and it's something we missed for a long time," Henning said. "Even seeing friends and family playing with me and sending me videos is really cool. My little brother was really excited, he got it, and he's been playing as Northwestern the whole time.

"They paved the way, those guys who were Halfback No. 2 or Quarterback No. 10, but you knew who those players were. ... It means a lot to guys like me who grew up playing this game and one day dreamed of playing in college football."

Xander Mueller (Northwestern, Linebacker)

"I feel like my character actually kind of runs like me," Mueller told IndyStar. " ... It's pretty funny, I never really thought I'd be in a video game."

Cam Porter (Northwestern, Halfback)

"I don't have a system right now, I really want to ... but I heard the game is awesome," Porter told IndyStar. "I remember playing the game as a kid on my XBOX 360 Kinect every single day in the summer and just imagining to myself, 'It would be really cool if I was actually in the game.'

"I thank God every day, because you pray for times like that. People probably wouldn't think that it's a huge deal, but to guys my age it means the world."

Kyle Monangai (Rutgers, Halfback)

"When the news came out that this was gonna be happening, I was the first one jumping out of my seat excited," Monangai told IndyStar.

Monangai wasn't fully satisfied with his 90 overall rating, despite being ranked as one of the Top 100 players in the game. While Monangai led the Big Ten in rushing yards last season, he sits as the 96th ranked player overall and the fifth highest rated halfback in the conference. 31 of the Top 100 rated players hail from the Big Ten.

Jake Chaney (Wisconsin, Linebacker)

"I think I've been playing NCAA since '08. All the Road to Glories, all the Dynasty Modes, that's how you grow a love for college football," Chaney told IndyStar. "I think that game is essential for college football. ... NCAA is a whole different field because that feels closer to a kid, that feels attainable like you can truly get there one day."

Hunter Wohler (Wisconsin, Safety)

"When I'm home and I get some free time, I'm definitely playing," Wohler told IndyStar. "Pretty much all the guys here probably played that game growing up religiously."

Wohler is the 84th ranked player in the game. He is the fifth highest rated safety in the Big Ten and the ninth highest rated in the entire position group.

Jack Nelson (Wisconsin, Left Tackle)

"I'm not a big video game guy," Nelson told IndyStar. "I got a couple roommates on the team, and when we're hanging out in the living room they'll be playing. I do enjoy watching a little bit."

Jaylen Reed (Penn State, Safety)

"I love that game, and since I've been waiting on it since I was a kid I'm kinda mad I signed up late, so I'm not in it yet," Reed said. "I'm gonna be on there in like two or three weeks ... That's the main talk in the locker room, like I think people are forgetting about practice because all we talk about is the video game."

Dvon J-Thomas (Penn State, Defensive Lineman)

"The last time I played I was like 13 (years old), so loading it up and knowing I was gonna be in the game was such a surreal feeling," J-Thomas told IndyStar. "I think I'm like an 80, but they had my speed at like a 61. I will race anybody here, I'll race in a suit to raise that 80 up. The speed's gotta go up just a little bit, but it's gonna go up throughout the season, trust."

Tyler Warren (Penn State, Tight End)

"I've been playing in my roommate's room, but I'm not much of a video game guy," Warren told IndyStar. "Getting texts and videos from my friends of me playing while they're on the game has been cool to see. I believe I'm a 90, so I'm not gonna complain about that."

Jack Velling (Michigan State, Tight End)

"I've been playing a little bit, but not like Dillon (Tatum). Dillon gets really into it," Velling told IndyStar. "It doesn't feel real. Seeing us run out of the tunnel and seeing all my teammates is pretty cool."

Dillon Tatum (Michigan State, Defensive Back)

"That daggone game. I broke a (XBOX) controller the other day," Tatum told IndyStar. "We actually played today at media day, I was playing as Michigan State against Nathan and Jack as Michigan State and I threw a pick to myself, so I guess I have a pretty good card in the game."

Isaac Gifford (Nebraska, Safety)

"I gotta get a PS5," Gifford told IndyStar. "That's what guys are doing right now, trying to get it in before we go to camp. ... It's pretty dope, it's realistic."

Ben Scott (Nebraska, Center)

"I'm not very good, I'm not really too sure about who's good and who's not," Scott told IndyStar. "I'm at least like an 84, a 78 is disrespectful."

Ty Robinson (Nebraska, Defensive Lineman)

"(Scott's) just upset because I beat him 14-0," Robinson told IndyStar. "And I'm not even very good myself."

Luke Lachey (Iowa, Tight End)

"It's a fun game, my brother and I have been playing against each other," Lachey said. "I don't wanna put too much thought into it; it's just a video game. I get a lot of messages from people saying they like to play with me or that I won the Heisman for them.

"I'm like, 'Well, that'd be cool if it were true.'"

Jay Higgins (Iowa, Linebacker)

"I got a girlfriend and a dog, so you can imagine that I don't have a lot of time to sit and play video games," Higgins told IndyStar. "But I have played it. I used myself the whole game and had four tackles, so maybe I need a higher rating."

Higgins is the 16th ranked player in the game with a 94 overall rating. He is ranked the best of all Big Ten linebackers and the second highest ranked linebacker in the entire game.

J. Michael Sturdivant (UCLA, Wide Receiver)

"I think I've played it every day since it came out," Sturdivant told IndyStar. "It's just a fun game, and I never really thought I'd be in it. Being able to see my player in there physically looking like me with my name on it is cool."

Ethan Garbers (UCLA, Quarterback)

"I've put some hours in for sure," Garbers told IndyStar. " ... My DMs are flooded with people telling me I'm terrible and that I need to play better in their Dynasty and I'm like, 'That's not me.'"

Jay Toia (UCLA, Defensive Lineman)

"Playing with UCLA is a cheat code, honestly," Toia said. "J. Michael Sturdivant has 94 speed I believe, and he beats everybody on the go route. Just lob it up with Garbers and he catches it every time."

Jonah Monheim (USC, Offensive Lineman)

Monheim is the only USC player with a rating in the Top 100, as he slid into the No. 41 spot with his 92 rating. He is the second highest rated center in the game , and the second highest rated offensive lineman in the Big Ten.

"I also know the game updates and everything is subject to change," Monheim told IndyStar. "We gotta earn those ratings as the game progresses."

Contact Kyle Smedley with comments via email at KSmedley@Gannett.com or via X @KyleSmedley_ .

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: EA Sports College Football 25 has been worth the wait for Big Ten football players