Running through Oregon's video game ratings in College Football 25

We're so back!

For the first time in over a decade, the Oregon Ducks are back in video game form with the release of EA Sports College Football 25. Thanks to the legalization and acceptance of college athletes' ability to profit off their name image and likeness, college football is back on video game consoles and for the first time ever with real players and names included.

After a strong 2023 season in head coach Dan Lanning's second campaign at the helm, the Ducks are anticipated to be one of college football's top teams when the 2024 season rolls around in late August. EA Sports clearly agrees with the national consensus and has ranked them accordingly.

Oregon comes in at a 93 overall as a team, tied with Ohio State for the second-highest rating and only trailing Georgia's 95 overall for the top spot. 

Additionally, Oregon has one of the game's most well-balanced rosters, joining Georgia and Alabama the three teams with both their offense and defense ranked in the top three. The Duck's 94 offense ties them with the Bulldogs for the game's highest-rated group while on the other side of the ball, their 90 defense ties them with Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Michigan for the nation's third-best unit.

Between their high ratings and iconic plethora of uniform options, Oregon will certainly be one of the most popular teams to use in online play.

These ratings look eerily similar to the last time the Ducks appeared in a video game as in NCAA Football 14 they were also tied with Ohio State for the second-best team at a 95 overall. Their 99 overall offense was tied with Alabama for the game's highest-rated group while their 92 defense tied them with Ohio State, LSU, Michigan, Florida State, Oklahoma State, and Florida for the seventh-best unit in the country.

Oregon's high-powered offense is led by their highest-rated player Dillon Gabriel who comes in at a 92 overall. Gabriel will take over from Bo Nix under center after totaling over 4,000 yards in the air and on the ground with 42 total touchdowns while leading Oklahoma to a 10-win season in 2023. Last time around, QB #8 (Marcus Mariota) received a 90 overall after posting over 3,500 total yards with 37 touchdowns as a freshman in 2012. Gabriel, a fellow Hawaii native, will be looking to follow in Mariota's footsteps, rocking his iconic number eight in hopes of bringing another Heisman trophy back to Eugene.

Oregon's highest-rated player was also on the offensive side in NCAA Football 14 as HB #6 (also known as De'Anthony Thomas) led the way with a 97 overall thanks to his blazing 98 speed. This time around, Oregon's fastest player is sophomore cornerback Rodrick Pleasant with a 99 speed that ties him for the fastest player in the country while helping him earn a 78 overall rating. Pleasant is also a member of Oregon's track team, setting a California record with a 10.14-second 100-meter sprint in high school.

On the other side of the ball, Oregon's highest-rated defender is Washington transfer Jabbar Muhammad at a 91 overall, tying him for the fifth-best cornerback in the country. Last season Muhammad tallied three interceptions and 16 passes defended during his lone season as a Husky, helping lead Oregon's most hated rival to the College Football Playoff. 

Additionally, Oregon has some of the top positional duos with offensive tackles Josh Conerly Jr. and Ajani Cornelius at 90 and 89 overalls as well as wide receivers Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart at 91 and 90 overalls. Some other highlights include running back Jordan James,  defensive lineman Jordan Burch, and tight end Terrance Ferguson all at 88 overall, and linebacker Jeffery Bassa and safety Tysheem Johnson both at an 87 overall. In total, Oregon has 5 players over a 90 overall, tying them with Michigan for the fourth most of any team.

Needless to say, it's a pretty good time to be an Oregon fan, and while we all wait for the season to kickoff against Idaho on Aug. 31 we can hold over by dominating with the video game Ducks and bringing the first national championship back to Eugene in dynasty mode.