Can I play College Football 27 today? For some, yes! What to know

Strike up the band: A new batch of College Football 27 players have access to the new video game today! And later this week, CFB 27 will come out for all audiences.

The third edition of EA Sports' revived college sports video game franchise might be its best yet, according to early reviews. Players have better control over defenses, the improved Dynasty mode offers a more true-to-life NIL budget and coaching carousel, and the new marching band soundtrack slaps — who doesn't want to jam to an instrumental "Pink Pony Club" cover?

CFB 27 also marks the return of "Mascot Mashup," a hectic mode not seen since the old NCAA 14. All 138 FBS teams — even newcomers North Dakota State and Sacramento State — will be fully playable with rosters and playbooks from each. Supporters of the Miami Hurricanes might not need to do a lot of tinkering to make a program worthy of a deep run in the College Football Playoff, but fans of Florida, FSU, UCF and more can work on returning their teams to glory by working the transfer portal or adding their own created player. And there's always the popular Team Builder mode to create your own powerhouse.

Here's what you need to know about College Football 27, including release date, price, team and player ratings.

When does College Football 27 come out?

The wide release of College Football 27 is set for Thursday, July 9, with digital versions available at 11 a.m. ET. But some fans have a head start in starting their dynasties and building their teams.

College Football 27 release date

Those who bought the CFB 27 Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle with Madden 27 can play today, July 6. Gamers who pay for EA's MVP+ subscription received access even earlier, on July 2.

College Football 27 soundtrack

EA Sports released new marching band versions of songs that will give the game a more authentic feel. It features the South Carolina band's rendition of Metallica's "Sad But True," as well as instrumental bops from Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen" to "Take On Me" by A-ha and "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson. Listen to the Spotify playlist.

Will College Football 27 be on PC?

Yes. The first two editions of EA Sports College Football were exclusive to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. However, this year's version will be the first time since the franchise's revival with a PC version. CFB 27 will be available on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, the EA App, Steam and Epic Games.

College Football 27 team ratings

On June 23, EA Sports revealed team ratings for all 138 teams in the NCAA's Football Subdivision. Here's how Florida's teams fit into the rankings:

1. Miami (88 overall, 90 offense, 86 defense)
2. Florida (84 overall, 84 offense, 83 defense)
3. Florida State (82 overall, 83 offense, 81 defense)
4. UCF (81 overall, 82 offense, 80 defense)
5. South Florida (77 overall, 77 offense, 77 defense)
6. Florida Atlantic (76 overall, 78 offense, 75 defense)
7. FIU (73 overall, 73 offense, 75 defense)

Will HBCU be in College Football 27?

While all 138 FBS teams will be playable in CFB 27, no teams from lower divisions will be included in the game. This has been the case since the series returned in 2024, though FCS teams were playable in the old NCAA line of football games. That doesn't mean FAMU fans have no way to play as the Rattlers: Team Builder mode allows for logos and uniforms to be created in the system, and HBCU fans have made their favorite teams available to be uploaded.

What's new in College Football 27?

Here's a quick look at the new features in CFB 27:

• Dynasty Blueprint: The redesigned Dynasty mode lets gamers allocate points the way athletic departments do real money, with payments available for coaches, support staff, team facilities and players more closely to the way NIL works. Playing as a Group of 5 school will cost more to get the same resources that a blueblood from the Big Ten or SEC would. The Coaching Carousel also received an upgrade, with gamers able to see other schools' budgets and rosters, while a new Coach Mode lets the computer handle gameplay so the player can focus solely on play-calling.
• Kirk Herbstreit replaced by Joel Klatt: Broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit, one of the most prominent members of "College GameDay" and ESPN's primary color analyst, had provided commentary for the spotlight games in the CFB franchise's first two iterations. However, he's been replaced by Fox Sports' Joel Klatt in CFB 27. Play-by-play voice Chris Fowler will return, and sideline reporter Holly Rowe makes her game debut.
• QB sneak meter and smart zones: Among several changes to gameplay is a meter similar to the kick meter that will determine the success of a quarterback sneak. Advancements in the game's coverage system include smart zones, improved double teams and red-zone specific coverages. Dynamic weather will change the field's conditions after each quarter.
• New Road to Glory positions: Gamers can add edge rusher, tight end and safety to the previous created-player types available in the athlete-focused Road to Glory mode. Players can once again transfer their created players into Madden 27's Superstar mode.
• Mascot Mashup: This game mode that replaces humans with mascots with more than 120 team mascots will be available. This was previously available in the old NCAA Football line of games that was discontinued after 2013.

College Football 27 player ratings

Here are the top overall players in CFB 27, according to EA Sports' official player ratings.

1. Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State WR): 99
2. Carter Smith (Indiana LT): 97
3. Leonard Moore (Notre Dame CB): 97
4. Ahmad Hardy (Missouri RB): 96
5. Cayden Green (Missouri LT): 96
6. Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss RB): 96
7. Malachi Toney (Miami WR): 96
8. Colin Simmons (Texas RE): 95
9. Dante Moore: (Oregon QB): 95
10. Kade Pieper (Iowa C): 95
11. KJ Bolden (Georgia FS): 95
12. Bray Hubbard (Alabama FS): 94
13. David Stone (Oklahoma DT): 94
14. Julian Sayin (Ohio State QB): 94
15. Matayo Uiagalelei (Oregon RE): 94
16. Trevor Goosby (Texas LT): 94
17. A'Mauri Washington (Oregon DT): 93
18. Brice Pollock (Texas Tech CB): 93
19. Dylan Stewart (South Carolina LE): 93
20. Evan Tengesdahl (Cincinnati LG): 93
21. Iapani Laloulu (Oregon C): 93
22. Jordan Seaton (LSU LT): 93
23. Koi Perich (Oregon SS): 93
24. Mark Fletcher Jr. (Miami RB): 93
25. Shadre Hurst (Houston LG): 93
26. Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss QB): 93

College Football 27 price

The College Football 27 Standard Edition costs $69.99, with the Deluxe Edition at $99.99 and the MVP Bundle, which includes the Deluxe Edition of both College Football and Madden 27, at $149.99. Fans can place their order on the game's webpage or in the PlayStation, Xbox, Steam and Epic stores.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Can I play College Football 27 today? For some, yes! What to know