Badger Football Is Back in the (Video) Game

The game captures an impressive amount of detail of the Camp Randall experience. EA Sports

After more than a decade hiatus, college football is back in video game form with this year’s release of College Football 25 by EA Sports. When you fire up your Xbox or PlayStation, you’ll find the Wisconsin Badgers well represented on screen. Camp Randall Stadium, Bucky Badger, the marching band, and a majority of the UW’s roster all contribute to a virtual Game Day experience that rivals the real thing.

The return of the video game was made possible by the NCAA’s recent reforms that allow student-athletes to profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness. It’s the first installment of the series, which dates to 1993, to feature real players. The Badgers are led by defensive backs Ricardo Hallman x’26 and Hunter Wohler x’25, who earned 90-plus ratings and a place among the top 100 players in the game. Every participating student-athlete received a $600 payment and a free copy of the game.

“To be on the game that you grew up [with] as a little kid is a really cool experience,” Hallman said after its release. “I’ve been [playing it] every day, honestly.”

College Football 25 captures an impressive amount of detail of the Camp Randall experience, from the stadium’s design, to the crowd’s “First and 10, Wisconsin” chant, to a postgame scene of UW players celebrating with Paul Bunyan’s Axe after beating Minnesota. While featuring all 134 Division 1 programs, the game ranked Camp Randall as the seventh-toughest place to play in the nation, at least virtually.

But you’ll also notice a few differences. The UW’s student section is always full at kickoff (an artistic liberty we endorse). Real coaches aren’t featured, so you won’t see Luke Fickell roaming the sidelines. And EA Sports couldn’t secure the licensing rights to “Jump Around.” Instead, the song “Tsunami” plays as the crowd jumps between the third and fourth quarters.

That change alone is a good reason to return to Camp Randall — in person.

Published in the Winter 2024 issue