Assessing the Stanford Cardinal in College Football 25

Dylan Grausz | Aug 5, 2024

Oct 21, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (13) catches a pass against UCLA Bruins defensive back Devin Kirkwood (3) during the fourth quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

It is finally back. After a long 10 years, a college football video game has been released with the launch of College Football 25 last month. And for the first time ever, real players are in the game and are playable on each and every one of the 134 FBS teams in the game. Checking in at an 81 overall, with an 81 rated offense and a 78 rated defense, Stanford’s debut season as a member of the ACC understandably has them rated in the lower half of the conference but with plenty of talent for users to try out.

I had the opportunity to play as the Cardinal firsthand to get a feel for how they are in-game. Here are some takeaways of what I noticed about the Stanford Cardinal in EA Sports College Football 25.

Give the ball to Elic Ayomanor, and you’ll be fine

As is the case on the real world gridiron, Ayomanor is a true playmaker, and that is no different in College Football 25. Ayomanor, who comes in with an 88 overall and is tied with defensive back Collin Wright as the highest rated Stanford players, is a true superstar for the Cardinal, being a safety blanket for Ashton Daniels anytime you need him.

If you throw the ball anywhere near Ayomanor, he will more often than not make a play on it. Even on the virtual football field, Ayomanor serves as Stanford’s best option when it comes to distributing the ball.

Ashton Daniels is super fun to play with

Daniels may not have lit up the stat sheet in his first season as Stanford’s starting quarterback, but his talent and potential were evident all season last year, warranting him a 78 overall in the game and making Daniels one of Stanford’s premier players.

Listed as the starting quarterback on the team’s depth chart, you can jump right in and enjoy the action with Daniels under center who is a ton of fun to control when hitting the sticks. His 84 speed and 83 agility make him a good runner while his 90 throw power gives the user the ability to attempt tough throws. Daniels can do a lot, both in real life and in the game, and adds another layer of excitement when using the Cardinal.

The offensive line will make passing a little more difficult

Stanford may have the dynamic duo of Daniels and Ayomanor, but if you want to be able to make that connection work, throwing the ball quickly and early will be the best way to do it. Passing in general is definitely a lot tougher than in games past and even in Madden, as the window to throw the ball is smaller, and Stanford is no exception.

While containing some strong talent in the starting five, the highest rated Stanford offensive lineman is center Levi Rogers with an 83 overall. A sack will come if a user does not throw the ball within a couple of seconds. While this can get frustrating at times, it makes the game that much more immersive in terms of realism and serves as a reminder of what real football can be like.

Sedrick Irvin instills life into the running game

Gone is EJ Smith, making Irvin the likely RB1 in Palo Alto. That assumption is made a reality in College Football 25 with Irvin listed as Stanford’s starting running back and man oh man, is running the ball fun.

Despite having limited appearances in 2023, with his most action coming against Arizona on September 23 when he carried the ball 10 times for 66 yards, Irvin showed that he has the potential to be a major staple in the backfield moving forward. In the game, his 79 overall may not jump off the page, but he develops quickly in dynasty while also making Stanford’s run game a very powerful one when you compare it to the rest of the ACC.

The linebacking duo of Tristan Sinclair and Gaethan Bernadel makes running the ball hard for opponents

As was the case last season on the field, Stanford’s linebacking duo of Tristan Sinclair and Gaethan Bernadel is the bread and butter of the Cardinal defense. The top tacklers from 2023 return to lead the defense, while in College Football 25, they bring the defense to life and elevate the run defense with their ability to get to the ball, penetrate the line and possess tackling attributes that make it much easier to bring down the ball carrier.

With overalls of 80 and 83 respectively, they are ranked as the number three and number seven players on the team. While questions remain in the real world as to what the Cardinal defense will look like, Sinclair and Bernadel provide certainty to arguably the most important defensive position.

Stanford Stadium and the authenticity was captured perfectly

One thing that makes this game super unique is how the developers took the time to make sure that each and every single one of the 134 teams in the game had as accurate of a stadium environment as possible. And they absolutely delivered.

Stanford Stadium is absolutely beautiful in the game, capturing every aspect of the gameday feel and creating an immersive environment that makes you feel like you are at the game. Loading up the game, you see everything that you would see leading up to kickoff, from Stanford Tree hyping up the crowd, the band playing the signature fight song and the players running out of the tunnel the same way that they do in real life. Gameplay is a major part of any sports video game, but immersion and authenticity is important as well and when it comes to those areas. College Football 25 represents Stanford perfectly.