College Football 25: 14 awesome traditions included in EA Sports’ reveal trailer

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14 awesome traditions in the new College Football 25 trailer

The college football world is buzzing with excitement.

After more than a decade of dormancy, EA Sports’ popular college football video game series is set to return this summer with a July 19 release date. On Friday, we got our first real look at in-game footage as the reveal trailer was released, and while it featured no unedited gameplay, it did showcase a number of traditions that make the college game so special.

With how many different Power Four and Group of Five traditions are on display in this short trailer, there are surely quite a few more in the full game. But for the time being, here are 14 awesome college football traditions confirmed to be included in College Football 25.

1
Alabama's turnover championship belt

Via EA Sports

Several programs have variations of turnover celebrations, perhaps most notably Miami’s championship chain. Alabama’s version is a championship belt, officially known as the “Ball Out Belt,” which debuted in 2015. There seem to be several turnover celebrations included in the game beyond this one, as well.

2
Pitt's turnover mini-hoop

Via EA Sports

The other turnover celebration confirmed to be in the game is Pittsburgh’s mini-hoop, which allows the player who caused the turnover to show off their dunking skills.

3
The Illibuck Trophy

Via EA Sports

We also know that multiple rivalry trophies will be featured in the game, including the Illibuck Trophy, which goes to the winner of the Ohio State-Illinois rivalry. Originally using a live turtle as the trophy when the tradition began in 1925, it was switched to a carved wooded model when the turtle died the following year.

4
Paul Bunyan's Axe

Via EA Sports

Given to the winner of the historic rivalry between Wisconsin and Minnesota, Paul Bunyan’s Axe has been in service since 1948 when it replaced the previous rivalry trophy, known as the Slab of Bacon. Fun fact: The Slab disappeared in 1943 and was lost for more than 50 years until it was found in a storage closet at Camp Randall Stadium in 1994.

5
Howard's Rock

Via EA Sports

A piece of quartzite from Death Valley in California that was given to former coach Frank Howard, Howard’s Rock has graced Clemson’s Memorial Stadium since 1967 with players touching the rock before running down the end zone hill for one of the most iconic field entrances in college football. As the legend goes, Howard once told his players, “If you’re going to give me 110 percent, you can rub that rock. If you’re not, keep your filthy hands off of it.”

6
Notre Dame's 'Play Like a Champion Today' sign

Via EA Sports

Another extremely iconic field entrance that was featured in previous iterations of EA’s college football video game, Notre Dame’s current “Play Like a Champion Today” sign was put in place under former coach Lou Holtz in 1986 and has since become synonymous with the program.

7
Boston College eagle statue

Via EA Sports

Boston College’s most well-known tradition also comes from the team’s field entrance, where players touch a statue of an eagle as they exit the locker room onto the field at Alumni Stadium.

8
Florida's gator head

Via EA Sports

Similar to Boston College’s field entrance, Florida players touch a gator head statue as they storm onto the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aptly named The Swamp, to the catchphrase “only Gators get out alive.”

9
LSU's 'Win Bar'

Via EA Sports

Meanwhile at LSU’s Death Valley, Tigers players tap a crossbar previously used in the north end zone goalposts from 1955-84 with the word “Win!” painted on it as they enter the stadium. Called “The Win Bar,” each player is supposed to tap it during the field entrance.

10
Wyoming's cowboy statue

Via EA Sports

While most of the featured traditions came from Power Four programs, the Group of Five saw some love as Wyoming’s War Memorial Stadium was shown in the trailer, with snowfall to boot. Wyoming players touch a Cowboy statue, which is modeled on a photograph upon which the team’s logo is also based.

11
Texas A&M's 12th man

Via EA Sports

With more than 100,000 fans packing into Kyle Field in College Station every home game, Texas A&M’s crowd has become widely known as the “12th man” for the impact it has on games. This also showed off the game’s new crowd models in better detail.

12
Bevo!

Via EA Sports

Not many programs in the country have live mascots, but Texas’ Bevo is easily one of the coolest. A longhorn that charges onto the field and requires a team of handlers, as shown in the trailer, Bevo has appeared on Texas’ sidelines since 1916, and the current mascot is the 15th Bevo to do the job.

13
The Demon Deacon's motorcycle

Via EA Sports

While we’ve touched on some team field entrances that are featured in the trailer, it also included one of the best mascot entrances in the country as Wake Forest’s Demon Deacon is known to take the field while riding a motorcycle, both at football games and other sporting events.

14
USC's Trojan warrior

Via EA Sports

Though not the team’s official mascot, the unnamed Trojan warrior is part of one of the best pre-game ceremonies in college football. Riding in on a horse named Traveler, the warrior plants his sword in the logo at midfield before kickoff.

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