Did EA's College Football 26 Video Game Get Toughest Places To Play Right?
Is LSU really the toughest place to play in the country?
Well, it's that time of year again; somehow, someway, college football is almost already back. And along with it, EA Sports is preparing to release the College Football 26 video game.
One of the most contentious debates around the 2025 iteration of the game was the predetermined ranking of the toughest places to play in the country. Developers made playing on the road significantly harder than playing at home, and deservedly so. One of the biggest changes to the 2026 game will reportedly be making difficult road environments even more impactful.
Play art will be tougher to read, among several other changes. Per the EA Sports website, difficult road environments will mean "Away quarterbacks will struggle managing the clock—just like we've seen visiting QBs in The Swamp lose their composure in crucial moments. Kicking becomes dramatically tougher, especially with the game on the line. And in rivalry matchups? Expect more false starts, more broken communication, and more composure breakdowns as the crowd pushes every moment to the breaking point."
So how did they do in picking the list of the toughest places to play?
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Fireworks burst overhead as the Penn State Nittany Lions take the field prior to a White Out game against the Washington Huskies at Beaver Stadium on Nov. 9, 2024. Photo: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
How Good Of A Job Did EA Sports Do With Toughest Environments In CFB 26?
Tuesday marked the new release of the toughest environments in College Football 26, with the full list below:
- Tiger Stadium | LSU
- Beaver Stadium | Penn State
- Ohio Stadium | Ohio State
- Sanford Stadium | Georgia
- Bryant-Denny Stadium | Alabama
- Memorial Stadium | Clemson
- Ben Hill Griffin Stadium | Florida
- Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium | Oklahoma
- Autzen Stadium | Oregon
- Michigan Stadium | Michigan
- Kyle Field | Texas A&M
- Neyland Stadium | Tennessee
- Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium | Texas
- Doak S. Campbell Stadium | Florida State
- Camp Randall Stadium | Wisconsin
- Williams-Brice Stadium | South Carolina
- Jordan-Hare Stadium | Auburn
- Husky Stadium | Washington
- Kinnick Stadium | Iowa
- Rice-Eccles Stadium | Utah
- Notre Dame Stadium | Notre Dame
- Carter-Finley Stadium | NC State
- Boone Pickens Stadium | Oklahoma State
- Spartan Stadium | Michigan State
- Davis Wade Stadium | Mississippi State
There's already a few rankings generating controversy among fans of last year's game. And real world college football.
Many have suggested that Tennessee's Neyland Stadium should be significantly higher, considering the Volunteers have lost just two home games in the last three seasons. Others have said Auburn is far too low, same with the Oregon Ducks and Autzen.
That said, Auburn hasn't exactly been unbeatable at Jordan-Hare. In 2024 alone, they lost home games to the Cal Bears, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Texas A&M Aggies. And that's the balance that developers have to strike.
Does crowd volume and intensity matter more? Or actual record at home? Georgia isn't generally considered among the loudest stadiums in football, but the Bulldogs under Kirby Smart haven't lost a home game since the 2019 season. At some point, that has to matter too, right?
One of the glaring omissions is USC at the LA Coliseum, which used to consistently be one of the most difficult road environments. It's hard to argue though, after years of mediocrity, that it deserves to be in the top 25. Lincoln Riley better turn it around quickly, unless he wants to see the Trojans outpaced by much smaller programs like Mississippi State or NC State.
One thing that almost no one will argue with? LSU being #1 and Penn State being #2. Nobody wants to play there in real life, and they likely won't want to in the 2026 video game either.