Why South Carolina veteran tailback isn’t in EA Sports college football game ... for now
If one were to power up EA Sports’ “College Football 25,” select South Carolina football and roll over to examine the running back room, they’d find a key name missing:
Senior Juju McDowell, USC’s top returner at the position.
That should change in a few weeks, though, McDowell told The State at South Carolina’s on-campus media day Thursday.
Athletes with official university email addresses were sent an invite to opt into the game back in February. EA Sports asked them to set up profiles and review EA’s offer before accepting. The company encouraged athletes to opt in by April to be included when the game launched on July 19.
More than 14,000 players signed up to be included.
“I had trouble getting in my account and getting access to sign up, so it kind of took a longer process,” McDowell said.
Athletes who opt into the game received $600 from EA Sports and a copy of the game valued at $70. McDowell’s reward should be on the way soon, he confirmed with a laugh. Once EA verifies his identity with South Carolina, he should be available for the world to play with in the game.
In the meantime, McDowell has played with his real-life teammates, opting not to control the 2024 Gamecocks and instead dabble with other college football programs across the country.
“They can’t beat me,” McDowell said with a smug grin.
When the Gamecock Club held an EA Sports “College Football 25” tournament last week, freshman offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins walked away as champion. Maybe he could challenge the confident running back.
McDowell is one of two scholarship returners in that position room. He’s joined by sophomore Djay Braswell, incoming freshman Matthew Fuller and transfer running backs Raheim “Rocket” Sanders (Arkansas), Oscar Adaway III (North Texas) and Jawarn Howell (South Carolina Sate). They’ll start competing against each other for playing time as preseason practices begin this week. In what could be a contentious environment, McDowell says the vibes in their group are high.
“It’s more like a brotherhood,” he said. “You all know the task at hand. We’re just trying to help each other get to that end goal.”
