The most anticipated video game for college football fans in over a decade is set to release this summer. EA Sports’ College Football 25 is sending out contracts for each player in the sport to be included with a $600 dollar check and a free game included in the transaction, according to reports. 

The return of Dynasty Mode made us think: Which team in Texas will you pick to lead to a national championship when the game is released?  

GREG TEPPER - SAM HOUSTON 

Forget the graphics, forget the recruiting, forget the stadiums, forget the fight songs. Let’s get down to the core of why we took such joy from playing those old NCAA Football games: taking teams from the bottom to the top, from the basement to the penthouse, from the pastures to the throne. There are few things more fun than taking a woebegone program and winning a national championship with them — Idaho was my go-to pick in NCAA Football 2014, shoutout the Kibbie Dome — and that’s the opportunity that Sam Houston affords us in the upcoming NCAA Football 2025.

Coming off of a tough opening season in the FBS, the Bearkats are likely to start as one of the lowest-rated teams in the game, but there’s plenty to like here, especially on the defensive side with defensive back Da’Marcus Crosby. If you can find a quarterback — or maybe even recruit one! — there are plenty of receiving options, including receiver Noah Smith and transfer tight ends Fernando Garza (in from Texas A&M) and Austin Smith (in from Memphis). I’m excited to recapture the glory of the old games in Huntsville.

MIKE CRAVEN – UTEP 

My favorite city in Texas is El Paso. The food. The people. The proximity to the mountains and three national parks. I’ve watched a football game in every FBS stadium in the Lone Star State and the Sun Bowl is probably my favorite. Sure, the crowds are louder at Kyle Field and bigger at DKR, but the Sun Bowl is a unique experience with loads of history. 

Building from the ground up is the best part of Dynasty mode. UTEP is starting over in 2024 with Scotty Walden replacing Dana Dimel as head coach. Conference USA is winnable, and the Miners’ jerseys are awesome. My other thoughts were Sam Houston or Rice, but I’ll head to the borderlands to lead a national power from the 915. The first step is finding a solid dual-threat quarterback. The second step is world domination. 

MATT STEPP - TCU 

As a Fort Worth native who attended a college without a football team (UT-Arlington) the easy pick for me is taking the Horned Frogs back to the national championship game and this time bringing home the hardware. My recruiting plan is to recruit DFW and East Texas heavily with some Houston talent sprinkled in as well, I’ll recruit a lethal dual threat signal caller and run a power spread offense with some option principles mixed in along with an aggressive 4-2-5 scheme that brings back memories of great Frogs defenses of a few years ago.

GREG POWERS - SMU 

I picked SMU because Preston Stone should be pretty fun to play the game with. There is enough talent on the roster that I think I could beat some top teams early on to help me rise up the ranks and compete for a national title quicker. It would be cool to recruit TXHSFB prospects and fill my roster from high schools I’m familiar with. Could I truly build a title contender with TXHSFB talent alone?

ISHMEAL JOHNSON - RICE

I ironically avoided using Texas State too much in the past. Maybe it's because I'm too close to the kitchen to see how it's all made. Let's aim to build Intellectual Brutality up to national powerhouse status and lining up and mashing teams across the nation with the best GPA in the state as God intended. 

CORY HOGUE - RICE 

If you can win at Rice, you can win anywhere. That’s my selling point as I guide the Owls to an AAC title and the CFP before darting off to become legendary at a P4 school. The plan early is to build a team that can control the clock and win late while focusing on strengthening the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The offense will begin to fly after three or four recruiting classes.

The next stop will be at Texas, where the Longhorns will become a dynasty. The game will acknowledge my greatness by naming the field after me. Cory Hogue Field at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium has a nice ring to it.

CARTER YATES - TEXAS 

Yeah, yeah. Look at Carter taking the easy way out picking the Longhorns, fresh off the College Football Playoff. I’ll have you know they were my dynasty team in the early 2010s during the final Mack Brown years, and they would’ve been my team during the Charlie Strong and Tom Herman years if this game hadn’t been ripped away from us. In order to move forward, you’ve got to remember where you come from. I’m the guy for the job, so pass me the sticks.