With just days to go until EA Sports College Football 27 hits Xbox, PC, and PS5, the developers have released a few tidbits about what to expect. Most recently, Electronic Arts released the team and player ratings, as well as the lists of the best players at each position. While there was some good news for the Nebraska football team, one reality can’t be ducked, even in the digital world. When looking at the lists of top defenders in the sport, not a single Blackshirt made any of the top tier.
That no individual defender was among the best players in the game by overall rating was a hard pill to swallow. So was the fact that Memorial Stadium is no longer one of the most feared places to play for opponents, not even in EA Sports College Football. This year’s edition of the game is the second straight where the Huskers’ home field didn’t make the initial list of 25 toughest places to play.
On the other hand, Nebraska did get a perfectly reasonable 83 overall rating that has them as the No. 24 team in the game. That rating seems exceptionally high, considering they not only finished 2025 with a meager 7-6 record but also posted three straight blowout losses to close out the campaign.
There was genuine good news when the top offensive players' rankings were released. Nebraska center Justin Evans earned a nod as one of the top returning offensive players in the country, earning a 91 overall rating as the fifth-best center in the game's preseason release. Evans was the only Nebraska player to receive a top-100 player rating.
EA Sports College Football 27 shows Nebraska football’s defensive respect gap
The lack of high-end talent on the Huskers’ defense aligns with the video game's initial overview of the Huskers' defense, which rated Nebraska an 82 overall on that side of the ball. The Huskers' offense ranked 85th overall. The combined team rating put Nebraska fifth in the Big Ten Conference behind Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, USC, and Michigan.
While the Cornhuskers didn’t earn any “top” rankings, there are some defenders who could get there eventually. Transfer linebacker Owen Chambliss, who came to Lincoln by way of San Diego State, is the best-rated defender on the Huskers in EA Sports College Football 27. He will have an overall rating of 89 when the game launches on July 2.
Another linebacker, Larry Shavers Jr., isn’t far behind Chambliss with an 85 overall rating, and cornerback Andrew Marshall isn’t far behind Shavers with an 83 rating. All three of those guys could see their EA Sports numbers go up if they get off to a good start in the regular season.
On offense, Nebraska has some budding superstars, starting with Anthony Colandrea with an 87 rating. Wide receiver Jacory Barney has the same overall rating, and another receiver, Nyziah Hunter, carries an 86. With transfer receiver Kwazi Gilmer earning an 85, it’s clear that the Huskers’ passing attack in the game could be quite deadly.
The digital version of Nebraska might need that explosive passing game; if the defense doesn’t play better than it looks at first glance, the way EA Sports sees it.
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