Overview
- EA Sports announced on Wednesday that Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith will open College Football 27 with a 99 overall rating, the first player to have that score at launch in the revived franchise.
- The official message was posted on the College Football 27 social account and confirms earlier May leaks that predicted Smith as the lone 99 at release.
- EA has set the game’s release for July 9 with early access beginning July 2 for MVP Bundle owners and July 6 for Deluxe Edition purchasers.
- Coverage ties the rating to Smith’s two-season totals of roughly 163 catches for 2,558 yards and about 29 touchdowns plus national honors as justification for the top score.
- The announcement is part of a broader EA rollout that also publicized other top launch ratings, team and stadium rankings that favor Ohio State, and new presentation features intended to boost pre-release interest.