college football top 25 rankings compare with EA Sports' team ratings?

Preseason polls offer the college football fans first glimpse into the best teams that will be expected in the new season. There's always the Associated Press rankings and the US LBM Coaches Poll, but in 2024, we have another data set to consider: Twenty-five team college football ratings.

This is the first year since the creation of what later became the NCAA that EA Sports is able to present its choices of the top teams in the country. The Orlando-based video game company released their top-25 team ratings June 28, and gamers every FBS team’s rating once the game came out July 16.

What is the relation between the College Football 25 ratings and the traditional polls? A Coaches Poll for the next year season was released on Monday August 5 th of the year 2024. Though the list of division, however, the Associated Press preseason poll is set to be released Monday, August 12, and without a doubt, there is going to be even more contrasting opinions.

So now let us cast a glance at the polls and then let us examine the most profound discrepancies. One thing to note: In the EA Sports system different teams can have the same overall value; for instance, Florida State is placed in the No. 12 position with an overall value of Ohio State’s, while Penn State is No. 9. It must also be pointed out that we are interacting with them as if they are virtually identical and on the same level vis-à-vis CFB25.

US LBM Coaches Poll preseason top 25.

Georgia (46 first-place votes)

Ohio State (7)

Oregon

Texas (1)

Alabama

Ole Miss

Notre Dame

Michigan (1)

Penn State

Florida State

Missouri

LSU

Utah

Clemson

Tennessee

Oklahoma

Kansas State

Oklahoma State

Miami

Texas A&M

Arizona

NC State

USC

Kansas

Iowa

EA College Football ranks twenty-five teams.

Georgia (95 overall rating)

Ohio State (93)

Oregon (93)

Alabama (92)

Texas (92)

Clemson (90)

Notre Dame (90)

LSU (90)

Penn State (88)

Utah (88)

Michigan (88)

Florida State (88)

Miami (88)

Texas A&M (88)

Ole Miss (88)

Colorado (87)

Oklahoma (87)

Wisconsin (87)

USC (87)

Virginia Tech (87)

NC State (87)

Kansas (87)

Arizona (87)

Oklahoma State (87)

Iowa (87)

Ole Miss: Unfortunately, the team that reigned as the No. 6 team in Coaches Poll and No. 15 team in College Football 25.

All systems love the Rebels, and the coaches love them as well, albeit to a much higher degree. They do however, appear to have a somewhat fetish for the SEC as, while they ranked sixth in the country, they rank fourth in the SEC conference in this poll. Lane Kiffin’s team was 11-2 in 2023 with losses only to Alabama and Georgia, and having Dart back at QB, Rebels think they can take it.

EA Sports may have ranked the Rebels lower because recruiting classes for 2024 were not as strong; On3 had them at 20th and 247 Sports 21st. The next team on this list had the same numbers as far as their poll-to-game difference went and they also had similar recruiting rankings. It is just a theory though. Ole Miss advantages are that it gets two huge home games, Oklahoma and Georgia, this season while its most challenging game is scheduled for October 12 on the road against LSU.

Missouri: No. 11 in Coaches Poll but College Football 25 rating is unknown.

This is the highest spread between two methods/systems. With a CFB25 overall score of 84, the Tigers are ranked twelfth in the new 16 team SEC. That ranks them as ahead of Arkansas and even comparable with Auburn, Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina, teams that did not merit a place in the preseason Coaches Poll; Auburn had 25 votes in this regard.

Mizzou proved to be one of the biggest surprises of the year finishing with a 11-2 record after a win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. Missouri was tabbed to place sixth in the SEC in the preseason media poll, yet the EA Sports raters appear to believe that was the Tigers’ one-hit wonder.

Clemson: These are Coaches Poll, No. 14 and College Football 25, No. 6.

This shows that EA Sports is, indeed, impressed by the Tigers’ roster – and it also demonstrates that the playbooks will be divided into specific categories for easy navigation. Defensive competency reaches an impressive 90, this is ranked on the third place in the game and linebacker Barrett Carter’s player competency is 94 ranked 11th in the game. However, the Coaches Poll demonstrates that Dabo Swinney is not exempt from skepticism in 2023, despite no three straight three-loss seasons including 2023, 4-9.

Clemson will have an opportunity to silence the critics right away with Georgia scheduled for the Tigers opening game of the season.

Tennessee and Kansas State: No. 15 and 17 in the Coaches Poll, No rating in the College Football 25

These two can be combined since the two are, essentially, the same tale. Kelly and Notre Dame were both 9-4 in 2023, and both won bowl games played in Orlando (the Wildcats’ Pop-Tarts Bowl triumph will be a lot sexier, though). Despite the CFB25 ratings, neither of them enjoys the kind comforts as most of the other conferences do. Tennessee’s average rating (83) is the second lowest in the SEC is shared with Mississippi State while K-State’s average rating of (84) ranked the Big 12 sixth alongside Texas Tech.

EA Sports measures them as being solid to good teams while the Coaches Poll is also in agreement. The Vols are scheduled for a difficult match September 7 against NC State in Charlotte followed by a match against Alabama in October at home but away to Georgia in November. K-State was projected to finish second in the Big 12 preseason poll and their three most formidable opponents by that same poll; Oklahoma St, Kansas and Arizona will be visiting Manhattan.

Miami: That is the 19th team according to the Coaches Poll, while it the 13th in College Football 25.

With those arms, Miami Hurricanes should have a roster that will place this team in top 10 almost every year with Mario Cristobal at the helm. Currently, they have three players in 100 of CFB25 ratings including a running back Damien Martinez, defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. and a receiver Xavier Restrepo; more, they acquired Cam Ward, transfer for quarterback. The U is on a par with five other teams when it comes to the ratio, which measures weeks lost per 100 workers; the current figure is 89.

But the coaches recall how the Hurricanes has played in the field out there. Cristobal is a combined 12-13 in his first two seasons at Miami with some questionable coaching tactics (Georgia Tech game last season). UM gets to exercise the rights of the state of Florida when playing the Gators in Gainesville to launch off the season and FSU on the 26th, of October.

Texas A&M: Coaches poll – 20th, CN College Football 25 – 14th

As two years ended the “Jimbo Fisher Skill Team” the program is hoping for renewed life in newcomer head coach Mike Elko from Duke. EA Sports has them rated high on offence, 85, ranked 17 in the sec, and 84 on defence ranked T-18th and overall they are ranked fifth in the sec and tied with Ole Miss at 88.

The coaches are on the other hand different as they placed Texas A&M as the ninth best team in the SEC according to the preseason poll. ND will be its first test when Tech gets its first chance to impress in the first game of the season. The Aggies will not have to face most of the prestigious SEC teams in this season, and the fight against the rival Texas will be held at home, last in the regular season.

Colorado: Coaches Poll: Not Ranked; College Football 25: #16

The earliest is the variance here where one could say the least degree of variation is employed. The Buffaloes were given only two points in the preseason Coaches Poll, probably due to how they self-eliminated themselves in 2023. Colorado had captured three of its first four, and none of the victories was very easy on an offense that averaged 352 total yards and 37 points per game –and then the conference season began: the Buffs won only one of their first nine games and finished with a 4-8 record.

Wisconsin and Virginia Tech: Coaches- not ranked, AP- No. 18 and 20 recognized in College Football 25

Both of these teams received an overall rating of 87 in CFB25, and therefore will be compared as one group here. The Badgers were ranked 17th in the coaches preseason poll they received 17 votes. While the Hokies were the closest team on this list to crack the preseason Coaches Poll receiving 64 votes to sit 3 points away from the rankings.

Wisconsin will get to gauge it selves with a home game September 14 with Alabama, two weeks later Wisconsin will get to travel out to face USC. Miami University has a relative easy schedule with the two biggest events being away game in September and Clemson coming to Blacksburg in November.