{"id":7868,"date":"2025-04-28T20:27:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T20:27:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/7868\/"},"modified":"2025-04-28T20:27:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T20:27:09","slug":"steve-sarkisian-arch-manning-opted-out-of-cover-shoot-for-college-football-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/7868\/","title":{"rendered":"Steve Sarkisian, Arch Manning opted out of cover shoot for College Football 26"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Texas Longhorns<\/a> were prominently featured on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25 in the game\u2019s return last year. They decided not to be for this year\u2019s edition, though, with two members of the program opting out of it.<\/p>\n

On Monday, Steve Sarkisian<\/a> shared that he and QB Arch Manning<\/a> chose not go to the photoshoot for the cover of EA Sports College Football 26<\/a> at The Rose Bowl. That comes a year after QB Quinn Ewers<\/a> made the cover alongside Colorado\u2019s<\/a> Travis Hunter<\/a> and Michigan\u2019s<\/a> Donovan Edwards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Steve Sarkisian at the @HoustonTDClub<\/a> says he and Arch Manning opted not to attend the photo shoot at the Rose Bowl for College Football Playoff 26. Other players and coaches were featured in leaked images.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) April 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

About a month and a half ago, the cover of the deluxe edition<\/a> of the game leaked online. It featured ten actual players with Ohio State<\/a> WR Jeremiah Smith<\/a> and DB Caleb Downs<\/a>, Alabama<\/a> WR Ryan Williams<\/a>, Penn State<\/a> RB Nick Singleton<\/a>, Notre Dame<\/a> RB Jeremiyah Love<\/a>, Michigan<\/a> QB Bryce Underwood<\/a>, Florida<\/a> QB DJ Lagway<\/a>, LSU<\/a> QB Garrett Nussmeier<\/a>, Arizona State<\/a> QB Sam Leavitt<\/a>, and South Carolina<\/a> DE Dylan Stewart<\/a>. Several coaches were included as well with Georgia\u2019s<\/a> Kirby Smart<\/a>, Ohio State\u2019s<\/a> Ryan Day<\/a>, Penn State\u2019s<\/a> James Franklin<\/a>, Oregon\u2019s<\/a> Dan Lanning<\/a>, and Arizona State\u2019s<\/a> Kenny Dillingham<\/a>. In the stands with them are several mascots and legends as well, such as Tim Tebow<\/a>, Reggie Bush<\/a>, and Mark Ingram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sources speaking<\/a> to On3\u2019s Pete Nakos<\/a> at the time suggested there\u2019d be several covers of this year\u2019s game available. That\u2019d include as many as a regular cover, a deluxe cover, a coaches cover, and a legend cover per reports.<\/p>\n

With that, Sarkisian and Manning would have been natural choices to be on one of those covers. Texas, coming off a pair of appearances in the College Football Playoff<\/a>, will enter this season as one of the sport\u2019s best teams again. Sarkisian, with this turnaround on The 40 Acres, has solidified himself as one of the top coaches in the game as well. Then, Manning, who\u2019s marketable enough already off the last name alone, is projecting as one of the best quarterbacks in the country<\/a> going into next year in his first season as a starter.<\/p>\n

However, Sarkisian and Manning remained in Austin rather than taking part in the photoshoot in Pasadena. That should be at least some sort of sign of where their attention is at Texas going into the fall<\/p>\n

On Thursday, last week EA Sports\u00a0revealed<\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0College Football 26\u00a0will be released on July 10, 2025. It is the next game in the College Football series, which made a return last year with the extremely successful\u00a0installment with College Football 25.<\/p>\n

College Football 25\u00a0was EA Sports\u2019 first college football game since\u00a0NCAA Football 14, which was released in 2013. The videogame series had an 11-year hiatus after Electronic Arts (EA) was sued by former college football players who argued their\u00a0name, image, and likeness (NIL) were used without permission or compensation.<\/p>\n

However, with the introduction of NIL into the collegiate landscape, EA was able to bring back the beloved series. Players who opted in to being in\u00a0College Football 25\u00a0received $600 and a copy of the game.<\/p>\n

The move worked out well for EA.\u00a0College Football 25\u00a0became the best-selling sports video game of all time based on dollar sales. According to\u00a0Chris Vannini\u00a0of\u00a0The Athletic, EA is now more than\u00a0doubling its payment<\/a>\u00a0to players for their inclusion in\u00a0College Football 26.<\/p>\n