Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith issues 4-word message promoting EA CFB'26

It was announced by EA Sports on Tuesday that Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is going to feature on the cover of the College Football 26 video game.

After this announcement, Smith took to social media to make the following post to promote the game he is on the cover of.

"More than a game," he wrote.

Jeremiah Smith is only a sophomore, but is already seen as one of the top wide receivers in all of college football. His first year with the Buckeyes was very strong, culminating in a national championship.

During the 2024 season, Smith recorded 1,315 yards and scored 15 touchdowns from 76 catches. This included the opening touchdowns for the Buckeyes in the national championship game, which set the team up for a comprehensive win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

With his addition to the cover of College Football 26, Smith becomes the first player from Ohio State to be the cover athlete of this long-running video game series that experienced a revival last year.

However, Jeremiah Smith is not the only cover star for College Football 26. He will be joined by another standout wide receiver from last year, Alabama Crimson Tide's Ryan Williams.

In a similar fashion to Smith, Williams was also a freshman last year. But, unlike the Buckeyes, Williams was only 17 years old and should have been playing high school football. Instead, he has made his presence known on the roster of one of college football's biggest programs.

During the season, Williams recorded 865 receiving yards and scored eight touchdowns on an Alabama side that struggled with the passing game at times.

However, the Crimson Tide has a star with Williams. He (along with Jeremiah Smith) is likely to improve in their second season in college football, which they will now do as cover stars of the college football video game.

When will College Football 26 be released?

Further details about the release of College Football 26 have been revealed alongside the announcement of Smith and Williams as the cover athletes.

The game is set to be released on July 10 for the Xbox Series X and S alongside the PS5. This is a few weeks earlier than College Football 25 was released last year.

Additionally, those who buy the "MVP Bundle," which gives players both College Football 26 and Madden 26, give players access to the game three days before the general release (July 7).