6 Upcoming Updates for College Football 26 You Need to Know
College Football 26 is approaching the end of its update cycle, but before EA fully shifts focus to College Football 27, there’s still one more meaningful title update on the way. Based on recent patterns, this final patch is expected to arrive in late January or early February and will likely be the last major update of the year. While a late update did arrive in March for College Football 25, that situation was different, and expectations are much lower this time around.
Even so, there are several important additions and fixes that players should know about. Some of these changes are already live, while others are strongly expected based on recent Madden updates and historical trends. Here’s a full breakdown of the six updates likely coming to College Football 26 before development fully transitions to next year’s game. Having plenty of CUT 26 Coins provides a great gaming experience.
1. End-of-Season Top 25 Rankings (Now Live)
The first update has already gone live earlier than expected. EA has officially updated the end-of-season Top 25 rankings, and they even published an announcement confirming the change.
To see these rankings reflected in-game, players will need to download the latest roster update. While the player ratings themselves may not have changed significantly, the rankings now accurately reflect the final standings from the season. Indiana has moved into the number one spot, followed closely by Miami at number two, with the rest of the Top 25 updated accordingly.
A few teams also dropped out of the rankings entirely, including the Arizona Wildcats and the Tennessee Volunteers. This update is especially useful for players starting new Dynasty modes later in the year, as it ensures a more authentic starting point going forward.
2. Schutt F7 Pro Helmet Finally Arriving
One of the most requested equipment updates of the year is finally on the way: the Schutt F7 Pro helmet. This helmet, along with multiple facemask options, has been confirmed for College Football 26 after recently being added to Madden in a patch released a couple of weeks ago.
EA previously stated that the F7 Pro would be added this year, and Madden receiving it first all but guarantees its arrival in the upcoming College Football update. Given how widely worn the helmet is at both the collegiate and professional levels, its absence was noticeable, making this a welcome addition.
While no other equipment updates are fully confirmed, there is still a chance we could see smaller additions like new cleats, gloves, wristbands, or quarterback wrist coaches. Madden received some of these earlier in the year, but College Football 26 did not. That said, the Schutt F7 Pro is the one item players can be confident will be included.
3. RPO Gameplay Fixes
Run-pass options have been a hot topic throughout the year, and EA isn’t done tuning them yet. In a recent Madden update, developers addressed an issue that allowed players to hot-route certain receivers on RPO bubble screen plays, making those plays nearly impossible to defend.
Since College Football 26 shares much of its gameplay foundation with Madden, these fixes are expected to carry over. The upcoming update should prevent similar hot-route exploits and may include additional balancing tweaks to RPO defense overall.
This won’t be the first time RPOs have been adjusted, but it should be one of the more impactful fixes, especially for competitive players who have seen these plays dominate online matchups.
4. Defensive Alignment Adjustments
Another change likely flying under the radar involves minor defensive alignment fixes, particularly in certain nickel formations. Madden recently received small tweaks to correct positioning issues that could lead to coverage breakdowns or unrealistic spacing.
While this isn’t a flashy update, EA has historically mirrored these types of fixes across both franchises. Many players may not notice the difference outright, but over time, these adjustments contribute to smoother and more consistent defensive behavior.
5. New Uniforms and Alternate Helmets
Uniform updates have been one of the most consistent parts of College Football 26’s post-launch support, and the final update should continue that trend. Last year’s game added new alternates and throwbacks even late into the season, particularly after bowl games and playoff appearances revealed new looks.
With the college football season officially wrapped up, EA now has a complete picture of which teams debuted special uniforms during bowl season or the College Football Playoff. That makes this final update a prime opportunity to add any remaining alternates or helmets that didn’t make it into earlier patches.
While the exact number of new uniforms is unknown, history strongly suggests we’ll see at least a few new additions before the year closes out.
6. One Last Roster Update
Finally, players should expect one more roster update before College Football 26 sunsets. Roster updates are separate from title updates, and while today’s ranking update technically counts as one, it’s unclear whether individual player ratings were adjusted.
Around this same time last year, EA released a final roster update that tweaked ratings and added a handful of players who were missing earlier in the cycle. Based on that precedent, another year-end roster refresh seems likely, even if it arrives independently from the final title update.
Final Thoughts
While College Football 26 is nearing the end of its lifecycle, this final stretch of updates still brings meaningful improvements. Between ranking accuracy, long-awaited equipment additions, gameplay fixes, and cosmetic updates, the last patch should help the game go out on a strong note.
After this, all eyes will shift toward College Football 27, which is already shaping up to be a bigger leap forward. But for now, there’s still plenty to look forward to before EA officially turns the page. A large number of cheap CUT 26 Coins can provide a great gaming experience.