FAYETTEVILLE — Jordan Anthony is not on the University of Arkansas football team’s 2025-26 roster in real life. But in the EA Sports College Football 26 video game, which will hit stores for standard release at 11 a.m. Central on Thursday after early access began Monday for the deluxe edition, Anthony is still a wide receiver for the Razorbacks.
Anthony announced in June he would forgo his remaining college eligibility to begin his professional track and field career. A national champion in the 60 and 100 meters and one of three finalists for the prestigious Bowerman award, given annually to the top American collegiate track and field athlete, Anthony is coming off the best track season of his career and was one of the top sprinters in the collegiate ranks this year.
But when the video game was made, Anthony had not yet announced he would no longer be playing football for the Razorbacks.
“I left the announcement ’til after it was announced that (the game) was going to come out, so therefore I could be in the game,” Anthony said. “I knew a lot of people were going to probably riot if I wasn’t in the game, because why wouldn’t I be in the game?”
There were other factors in the timing of Anthony’s announcement, which came the day after the conclusion of the NCAA Outdoor Championships, but remaining in the game is an added bonus, he said.
In the game, Anthony has a speed rating of 99. It is the highest rating a player can achieve, and he is one of four in the new edition with that score. He is joined by LSU receiver Barion Brown, UCLA cornerback Rodrick Pleasant and South Carolina receiver Nyck Harbor.
No college players have had a rating of 100. In Madden NFL, also made by EA, a few NFL players have had a speed rating of 100. Devin Hester did in Madden NFL 08, and DeSean Jackson did in Madden NFL 12.
“My little disappointment that I have with EA Sports and the NCAA is that I’m 99 speed,” Anthony joked. “I should have been 100. We should go (back to) when they used to give one person 100. I should be 100 because, like, who else? Who else is the catch?”
Anthony said he has been playing the new edition of the game and is glad to be part of it for a second season.
“That was all I grew up on was playing video games, playing football games,” he said. “I really don’t play football games anymore, just because I used to do it in real life. Like, I can run fast. I don’t need 99 speed. I can catch. I can do all this in real life. … But ever since NCAA came out, I’ve been playing just NCAA because I’m in the game. Why wouldn’t I play?”