Top 7 coaches featured in Deluxe edition covers of College Football 26 ft. Ryan Day

In the press release shared Tuesday morning, EA Sports College Football 26 shared the cover of the Deluxe edition of the game. It features some of the best players in college football and head coaches.

EA Sports' College Football 26 is set to release on July 10, 2025. Sophomore receivers Ryan Williams (Alabama) and Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) are the standouts in the cover, along with past cover athletes Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow and Denard Robinson. Michigan's quarterback, Bryce Underwood, is also featured on the Deluxe edition.

However, which coaches made it to the cover? Here's a closer look:

Expand Tweet

Top 7 coaches featured in Deluxe edition covers of College Football 26

Seven head coaches made it to the cover, including Georgia's Kirby Smart, Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham, Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin, Penn State's James Franklin, Ohio State's Ryan Day and Oregon's Dan Lanning.

#1. Kirby Smart (Georgia)

Smart is one of the best head coaches in college football. He led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. As the coach of the Bulldogs, he boasts a 105-19 record.

#2. Ryan Day (Ohio State)

Day is coming off a championship run with the Ohio State Buckeyes. While his struggles against their nemesis Michigan Wolverines, continued in 2024, the coach was able to bring glory back to Columbus.

#3. Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame)

Freeman might not have won the national championship game against the Buckeyes last season, but he turned heads with his coaching acumen and landed upsets on their way to the CFB championship game. Under him, the football program at Notre Dame carries a high upside.

#4. James Franklin (Penn State)

Franklin has been on the up and up since the 2022 season, where he registered an 11-2 overall record. Last season, he led the Nittany Lions to a deep run in the College Football Playoff before going down in the semifinals against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

#5. Dan Lanning (Oregon)

Dan Lanning's Oregon was the best team in the Big Ten, going unbeaten in the 2024 regular season. They only suffered one loss last season which came against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff.

#6. Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State)

In just two seasons, Dillingham has turned around the football program at Arizona State, culminating in an 11-win season and a College Football Playoff berth last season. The young coach continues to grab attention with his ability to navigate the Sun Devils.

#7. Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss)

Lane Kiffin has transformed Ole Miss into a formidable SEC contender. If not for the upset loss against the Florida Gators last season, Kiffin's program might have qualified for the College Football Playoff. With a new playoff seeding model adopted in 2025, Kiffin would like to take the program into the expanded CFP field.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

Know More

Notre Dame Fans? Check out the latest Notre Dame depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

Edited by Veer Badani