Behind the Development: Insights from the CFB 26 Design
Posted: Tue, 29 July 2025, 7:15 amInsights from the CFB 26 Design Team reveal a passionate and detail-driven approach to creating the newest entry in the college football series. Design Director Scott O’Gallagher emphasized that the team’s top priority was authenticity—capturing not just the on-field strategy but also the atmosphere, pageantry, and unique spirit of college football. He explained that every player and every team is someone’s favorite, so CFB 26 is painstakingly crafted to reflect the real-life feel of each stadium, from unique lighting to crowd reactions and marching band tracks.
The development process relied heavily on community interaction. O’Gallagher shared that the team paid close attention to feedback on forums, social media, and Twitch streams, specifically looking for exploits, bugs, and opportunities for improvement based on player experiences with previous games. This feedback directly shaped features like the reworked quarterback logic, dynamic substitutions, expanded playbooks with over 2,800 plays, and physics-based tackling. The studio wanted to ensure that CFB 26 would feel like a true advancement—going so far as to say, “You cannot play ‘25 after you’ve played ‘26; top to bottom, I think everything’s there.”
Authenticity also extends to licensing and school representation. The team worked closely with major programs to get details right, with schools like Alabama praised for their openness and willingness to help developers nail down everything from team behavior to stadium ambiance.
On the technical side, the design team used advanced machine learning to create lifelike jersey deformation and player animations. There are now expanded player body types (including a new “lean” build for certain positions) for greater visual realism, alongside extensive updates to uniforms and gear. For players seeking a visual edge or quicker roster upgrades, some have turned to cheap CFB 26 Coins as a way to unlock aesthetic and customization options more quickly.
The developers also prioritized immersive presentation. Commentary has been dramatically expanded with tens of thousands of new lines, and stadium traditions—like specific band songs or fan chants—are rendered to make every matchup memorable. Ben Haumiller, principal game designer, shared that career modes like Dynasty and Road to Glory received significant overhauls to put the player first, with more personality-driven coaching and recruiting, a dynamic transfer portal, and an authentic high school-to-college pipeline. These additions, paired with the option to buy NCAA 26 Coins, offer deeper control over team management and progress pacing.
The CFB 26 design team sees the game as a “love letter” to college football and its culture. From a renewed focus on player and team authenticity to a willingness to listen and adapt to fan input, the team’s behind-the-scenes efforts are aimed at delivering the most realistic, enjoyable, and community-driven college football experience to date.
The development process relied heavily on community interaction. O’Gallagher shared that the team paid close attention to feedback on forums, social media, and Twitch streams, specifically looking for exploits, bugs, and opportunities for improvement based on player experiences with previous games. This feedback directly shaped features like the reworked quarterback logic, dynamic substitutions, expanded playbooks with over 2,800 plays, and physics-based tackling. The studio wanted to ensure that CFB 26 would feel like a true advancement—going so far as to say, “You cannot play ‘25 after you’ve played ‘26; top to bottom, I think everything’s there.”
Authenticity also extends to licensing and school representation. The team worked closely with major programs to get details right, with schools like Alabama praised for their openness and willingness to help developers nail down everything from team behavior to stadium ambiance.
On the technical side, the design team used advanced machine learning to create lifelike jersey deformation and player animations. There are now expanded player body types (including a new “lean” build for certain positions) for greater visual realism, alongside extensive updates to uniforms and gear. For players seeking a visual edge or quicker roster upgrades, some have turned to cheap CFB 26 Coins as a way to unlock aesthetic and customization options more quickly.
The developers also prioritized immersive presentation. Commentary has been dramatically expanded with tens of thousands of new lines, and stadium traditions—like specific band songs or fan chants—are rendered to make every matchup memorable. Ben Haumiller, principal game designer, shared that career modes like Dynasty and Road to Glory received significant overhauls to put the player first, with more personality-driven coaching and recruiting, a dynamic transfer portal, and an authentic high school-to-college pipeline. These additions, paired with the option to buy NCAA 26 Coins, offer deeper control over team management and progress pacing.
The CFB 26 design team sees the game as a “love letter” to college football and its culture. From a renewed focus on player and team authenticity to a willingness to listen and adapt to fan input, the team’s behind-the-scenes efforts are aimed at delivering the most realistic, enjoyable, and community-driven college football experience to date.