College Football 27 arrives July 9, and Oklahoma State fans have plenty to be excited about. The Cowboys are rated 83 overall, led by Caleb Hawkins (91), Wyatt Young (90) and Drew Mestemaker (89). Add in new Dynasty features, and the offseason just got a lot more fun.
Do you agree with the player ratings for Hawkins, Young and Mestemaker?
Every summer, college football fans search for something to bridge the gap until kickoff.
For many, that wait now officially ends with EA Sports College Football.
What was once one of the most beloved sports video game franchises disappeared for more than a decade before returning last year, and the excitement hasn't faded. If anything, College Football 27 feels even bigger.
The game is set to release on July 9, giving fans another reason to circle the calendar before the real season begins.
Along with the release date came Oklahoma State's team and player ratings, giving Cowboy fans plenty to debate before they ever pick up a controller.
The Cowboys enter the game with an 83 overall rating, including an 85-rated offense and an 81-rated defense, making them the third-highest-rated teamsin the Big 12.
Leading the way individually is running back Caleb Hawkins, who checks in as a 91 overall (seventh highest among running backs). Receiver Wyatt Young follows at 90 overall, while new quarterback Drew Mestemaker enters the game as an 89 overall, another indication of the high expectations surrounding Oklahoma State's new-look offense.
Those ratings reinforce what many fans have believed throughout the offseason.
This offense has a chance to look dramatically different under Eric Morris.
EA Sports believes it too.
After all, Oklahoma State completely overhauled its offense this offseason.
The Cowboys hired Morris after North Texas fielded one of the nation's most explosive attacks, brought Mestemaker and Hawkins to Stillwater, and reunited much of the offensive core that scored more than 40 points nine times a season ago.
Expectations are growing.
The individual player ratings released this week also gave fans plenty to debate, something that has become an annual tradition with every sports video game.
Some players always feel underrated.
Others become pleasant surprises.
That's part of the fun.
The biggest reason College Football 27 feels different has little to do with ratings at all.
It's the nostalgia.
After the series disappeared following NCAA Football 14, many fans wondered if it would ever return.
Now, for the second straight year, fans can once again build dynasties, recreate classic rivalries and lead their favorite programs back to national prominence.
This year's edition also introduces several new features, including deeper Dynasty Mode, expanded recruiting and roster management, enhanced coaching progression, dynamic substitutions and additional presentation upgrades designed to make the experience feel even more authentic.
For Oklahoma State fans, that means a chance to experience the Eric Morris era before it officially begins.
Can Drew Mestemaker develop into the star many believe he can become?
Can Caleb Hawkins become one of the Big 12's best running backs?
Can the Cowboys climb back into conference contention?
Those questions will eventually be answered on Saturdays.
Until then, plenty of fans will be trying to answer them with a controller in their hands.
Because College Football 27 isn't just another video game.
For many college football fans, it's become part of the offseason tradition.
For a program entering a new era under Eric Morris, Oklahoma State looks like one of the more intriguing teams to play with from Day One on July 9.
