EA Sports is bringing a new college football video game, College Football 25, to the market soon, but Texas Longhorns fans and others won't be able to play the game as Arch Manning, as he's opted out of appearing in the first college football game to hit shelves since NCAA Football 14.
Multiple people have told me Texas redshirt quarterback Arch Manning will not opt into EA Sports College Football 25. I'm told Arch is focused on playing football on the field. pic.twitter.com/dCFHdAuMZ1
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) March 5, 2024
"Multiple people have told me Texas redshirt quarterback Arch Manning will not opt into EA Sports College Football 25," Anwar Richardson of Yahoo Sports reports. "I'm told Arch is focused on playing football on the field."
Players appearing in the game are receiving $600 and a copy of the game. According to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, over 10,000 players have opted in as of Friday. That was the eighth day since the ability to opt in began.
Thus far, 87% of EA Sports' goal has been reached.
"In the little over one week, over 10,000 athletes across the FBS have opted-in to the offer with more saying 'yes' every hour," Daryl Holt, senior vice president and group general manager for EA Sports' Tiburon Studios and American football division, told ESPN. "We're excited to welcome more athletes in the weeks ahead and to debut this first class of athletes in the game when it launches this summer."
Conversely, Quinn Ewers — who will more than likely be the Longhorns' starting quarterback next season — will be featured in the game along with other top players including Travis Hunter of Colorado, Jalen Milroe of Alabama, Carson Beck of Georgia and Dillon Gabriel of Oregon.
So, it appears that not only will fans be unable to play as Manning in the game, but they'll also have to wait another season to see him take real-life snaps under center for the Longhorns.
Manning arrived at the Longhorns coming off a high school senior season in 2022-23 with 2,270 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and two interceptions in 11 games. He had passed for 115 touchdowns in four years of high school.
