Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams on cover of EA Sports College Football ’26
EA Sports chose Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams to be on the cover of College Football ’26. We talk to the athletes about what this moment means to them.
This marks the first time an Ohio State player has been a cover athlete for the game.The game, releasing July 10, features other Buckeyes, including coach Ryan Day and safety Caleb Downs, in the deluxe edition.
Ohio State superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith will be on the cover of EA Sports College Football 26.
EA Sports on May 27 revealed Smith, along with Alabama’s Ryan Williams, as the cover athletes for the next edition of the popular video game.
The receivers are on the cover of both the standard and deluxe editions. The deluxe edition also features other players, coaches and mascots, including Buckeyes coach Ryan Day and safety Caleb Downs.
All of them were at a photoshoot for the video game at the Rose Bowl in March.
The Buckeyes had a presence on the cover of the deluxe edition last year, as former running back Quinshon Judkins was pictured among a throng of players joining Donovan Edwards of Michigan, Quinn Ewers of Texas and Travis Hunter of Colorado.
But this year will be the first time that EA Sports has chosen an Ohio State player to be a cover star for the game.
The selection of Smith follows his dazzling debut for the Buckeyes in which he shattered freshman receiving records and emerged as one of the best players in the nation. He caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, including a game-sealing 56-yard reception in a win over Notre Dame in the national championship game.
In a statement, Smith said, “Being on the cover of EA SPORTS College Football 26 is a tremendous privilege, and I’m proud to represent Ohio State alongside Coach Day while carrying the Buckeye legacy forward, celebrating the passion of our fans and the tradition of this incredible program.”
The series, which was previously known as NCAA Football from 1997 until 2013, returned last year following a decade-long hiatus and returns again with a release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 10.
This story was updated with new information.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.
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