Yes, most of us are all very excited, or at least, very curious to see what EA’s new college football series will bring to the table in the next couple years. Although the series is returning in some form, that doesn’t eradicate the fact that video game fans will have gone over a decade without an updated college football title to fire up during the coinciding college football season.
Although none of us have the power to expedite the process of getting a new EA Sports College Football series to the market, we do have other options to help appease and ease the painful wait. Those options are made available due to the awesome efforts of the good people behind the NCAA Football 14 College Football Revamped mod that we’ve talked about before.
At this stage, most fans of the series are at least aware of the mod, and whether it is being utilized through the Xbox 360, PS3, or the PS3 RPCS3 emulator, the ability to upgrade and bring your copy of NCAA Football 14 into the 2021 season is out there and available to those who know how to install and use it.
NCAA Football 14 College Football Revamped Mod Dynasty Options
The College Football Revamped mod upgrades an awful lot, with some of the most impressive facets being the new uniform and helmet options. It also includes new field art, alternates uniforms, front-end splash screens, an upgraded menu system, and in-game graphics update to match the more modern look from ESPN broadcasts.
With the newest update, CFR brings an all-new look to the MAC conference. This comes with the aforementioned updated helmets and uniforms, including both the standard set, and in many cases, alternative sets as well.
Not only will you get to enjoy all the current uniforms and field art, but the mod team also altered the play-calling options and formations to bring the play style of each team up to date.
In short, with the College Football Playoff on the horizon, I wanted to dive back into NCAA Football 14 in association with the College Football Revamped mod and run with a handful of teams in 2021 that might be interesting to use for a dynasty.
The five teams I’m looking at are not just the current top five as voted for in the rankings, but rather teams that incorporate a solid squad on the field, a healthy choice of uniform options and interesting playbooks, interesting venues, and unique players that could be a blast to control all season long on either side of the ball.
1. Georgia Bulldogs
Why? It’s pretty easy to be excited about taking over the Bulldogs at this juncture. They play an SEC schedule that includes some great venues to play at on the road and have an amazing stadium of their own in Sanford Stadium. They’re currently ranked number one in the country and have one of the most fearsome front sevens in college football.
Who? At quarterback, you have a somewhat underrated Stetson Bennett and a solid backup in JT Daniels. The running game is full of options, and some refer to it as a three-headed monster with Zamir White, James Cook, and Kendall Milton. The weapons continue to be available on offense with the likes of often-targeted and true freshman tight end Brock Bowers, and wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Jermaine Burton, and Adonai Mitchell.
On defense, it gets even better for the Dawgs and their fans with the likes of Jordan Davis heading a strong defensive front four, and a loaded linebacking corp. that includes Channing Tindall, Nakobe Dean, and Quay Walker. Plus, a defensive secondary unit that offers up a lethal combination of both athleticism and aggressive but smart play from Latavious Brini and Lewis Cine.
Outlook? The Georgia Bulldogs give you an instant shot at the SEC title, Playoffs, and NCAA championship all in year one with the ability to recruit at a high level under the aggressive nature of Kirby Smart for years to come.
2. Cincinnati Bearcats
Why? The fact that they are currently sitting at 10-0 with a victory over Notre Dame helps sell why Cincy is a good place to open your coaching career at. The fact that they also just left the AAC to join the Big 12 by 2024 along with UCF, BYU, and Houston could make running the Bearcats program quite a bit of fun with some solid matchups in store against the likes of Texas Tech, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, TCU, and the three teams that will be joining them.
While it also may be a smaller venue and not known by many, the Bearcats home field of Nippert Stadium is a great venue located right in the heart of campus with plenty to be excited about during home games.
Who? Even with a great campaign in 2020 followed up by an equally impressive 2021 season, many still consider Cincinnati a mid-tier program at best. While that argument is best left for another day, the facts are that the Bearcats have some NFL talent on both sides of the ball this year that will make leading an offense and manning a defense quite a bit of fun for anyone looking to start a dynasty.
Let’s start with their quarterback and potential first-round draft choice, Desmond Ridder. The leader on offense brings a big arm and the ability to scramble and help let plays develop with the ability to fit throws into tight windows when needed. At 6-foot-4, Ridder has no issue seeing beyond the line and finding his favorite target Alec Pierce.
While not as touted and recognized as Ridder, Jerome Ford brings an awful lot to the running game. Crossing the goal line 15 times so far in 2021, Ford also averages a robust 6.3 yards per carry. Ford can be used to burst through the middle but maintains enough speed and agility to hit the edges and find open space when called upon.
On the defensive side of the ball, it begins with CB Ahmad Gardner, a physical back that is aggressive in coverage and an outstanding physical tackler. Gardner can be trusted to cover a number one and helps mitigate half of the field for the rest of the defense. The effectiveness and efficiency of Gardner allows a Cincinnati front seven, which includes the likes of DL Curtis Brooks and LB Joel Dublanko, to maintain their focus on the run game and apply pressure.
Outlook? If you decide to follow the guide on Operation Sports on how to adjust the conferences in NCAA Football 14, finding yourself in the Big 12 in the near future and the ability to recruit at a higher level makes the Bearcats a fun team with a dash of challenge thrown in to see if you can continue to play well against the Power 5 programs as well as recruit against them.
3. Oregon Ducks
Why? Sitting at 9-1 with an early-season victory over Ohio State, the Ducks are primed to win the Pac-12 and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff if things fall right. That said, their only blemish could hold them back as it came to a Stanford program that is not in a great spot. Still, if one chooses the Ducks as a dynasty destination, you will find yourself in a great venue known as Autzen Stadium. This stadium holds over 54,000 passionate fans and is typically packed for every home game.
Stadium aside, Oregon also comes with the perk of being officially connected with Nike in a way that no other school could be. Of course, one of those perks is the fact that the uniform options are insane and one could find a different combination for every game of the year.
Who? Playing dress-up is always fun in NCAA Football 14, especially with the CFR mod updating the likenesses of almost everything. That said, Oregon not only looks great but is solid on both sides of the field with some NFL-ready talent that will play on Sundays someday soon. One of those players is the nationally recognized defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. If not for an injury that happened early in the year, Kayvon would be talked about on the defensive side of the ball as much as Jordan Davis is out of Georgia.
Thibodeaux can move mountains aside to get where he is going and is a force that allows the secondary to play aggressively knowing the type of pressure that is being applied by the front four. Add in the talent of secondary players Verone McKinley III, Mykael Wright, and LB Noah Sewell, and Oregon’s defense is a formidable one.
The offense, while not receiving as much hype as the defense, can score with the best of them. This Oregon Ducks team is averaging over 35 points a game, and that attack is from all points. It starts with consistent QB play from Anthony Brown. Brown, who can hurt you from both through air and on the ground, is widely considered a solid game manager and a QB who understands how to get the ball to the other weapons on the field.
These weapons include standout RB Travis Dye, who will amass over 1,000 yards and the ground this year and has a chance to grab another 500 through the air. The Ducks also have a pair of wideouts ready to take control when needed. That duo includes Devon Williams and Johnny Johnson.
Outlook? Oregon is a blast to use on both sides of the ball and the number of updated uniform options are flat-out fun to wear and see in action. If Oregon is your choice, you will be able to recruit well and maintain control of the Pac-12 for the foreseeable future if you play your cards right.
4. UTSA Roadrunners
Why? This team is the Rodney Dangerfield of the college football world right now because they get no respect. A team that is sitting at 10-0 and ranked outside of the top 10 football rankings. Before you throw all these arguments at me about the strength of schedule, let me just say that I get it. The biggest win on the schedule in 2021 is versus a suspect Illinois team that is 4-6 overall but does have wins over Nebraska and Penn State. Either way, I’m not here to argue who should be ranked where, but why UTSA would be a fun ride when it comes to choosing a school to start your dynasty.
Who? Listen, when it comes to teams like UTSA and the success they’re experiencing this year, it comes down to a unique mixture of talent and guys that play for each other. That said, the cupboard isn’t bare in San Antonio as the offense has a true playmaker at RB named Sincere McCormick. McCormick has gained almost 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground this year. If you are looking to mix it up on offense, look no further than Roadrunners QB Frank Harris. Harris, while not an NFL-type talent in most circles, has still managed to throw for 2,306 yards, 20 touchdowns, and rush for over 400 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
When it comes to who is catching the ball for UTSA, look no further than Zakhari Franklin and Joshua Cephus. Combined, the two have hauled in 117 catches for almost 1,500 yards and 14 TDs.
On the defensive side of the ball, it really is the story of the collective whole, but two players stand out above the rest. Those two are S Rashad Wisdom and LB Trevor Harmanson. At this juncture of the season, Wisdom has 62 tackles and four pass defenses, while Harmanson has tallied 44 tackles, one sack, and one interception. One could also throw in Harmanson’s proverbial partner on the field at the other LB position, Jamal Ligon. Ligon has racked up 40 tackles on the season himself, with a half a sack and a forced fumble.
Outlook? While playing with UTSA and using Harmanson, he displayed the ability to stick with tight ends, shed blocks, and find ways to put a nose on the ball. On offense, running the ball was a blast with McCormick as he showed the ability to make all the runs, muscle his way through some tackles, and hit the corners with enough burst to make that a weapon. I did struggle a bit with Harris as he was streaky and inaccurate at times. Harris did show the ability to get outside of the pocket and extend plays, and showed he could hit some passes while on the rollout.
The bottom line here is that if UTSA is where you are opening shop for your dynasty, there is enough talent there to beat most conference foes, but against the better teams you will need to get creative and think outside the box to have consistent success. On a plus side, choosing UTSA means you get to play in the Alamo Dome, and that makes for a unique experience throughout the season.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Why? Notre Dame offers such a unique experience in NCAA Football 14, with the ability to play different teams every year, and the ability to recruit at a high level. That said, there are definitely pros and cons to landing in South Bend to start your dynasty. For one, there is no conference championship to help add style points at the end of the season, and occasionally that can really hurt your efforts to make the title game (or playoffs if you have modded that in). Also, I mentioned recruiting. Yes, you get to recruit on a national level, but you are recruiting against the whole nation every single year. Sometimes that works out and sometimes it can be an absolute pain.
Lastly, Notre Dame seems to be stuck in that proverbial “always a bridesmaid, never a bride” mode. The Irish have amassed over 50 wins in the last five years combined, but have found it difficult to break through the elite teams like Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia. For many, the challenge will be trying to find a way to do just that.
Who? The Irish have three elite players to rely on in 2021. Safety Kyle Hamilton, RB Kyren Williams, and TE Michael Mayer. Williams has elite speed, power, and burst and can be as good as any runner in the game. Mayer can outrun and jump higher than most defenders that he will be matched up against, and Kyle Hamilton is widely considered to be a top 10 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. Hamilton is 6-foot-4 and yet moves quickly and seamlessly across the field.
The Irish also provide solid offensive options with the likes of speedy RB and return man Chris Tyree and WR Kevin Austin Jr. There are a lot of weapons to use and exploit when it comes to the Irish offense, but the QB position is one that will have to be viewed as a game manager when it comes to graduate transfer Jack Coan. Notre Dame does have Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner waiting in the wings, but they’re young and raw.
Outlook? There are many reasons to land your plane in South Bend and start your dynasty, but there are a solid set of issues that you will have to overcome to truly move into the elite status of college football again. One huge plus of using the Irish is you get to play at iconic Notre Dame Stadium for every home game, and also some of the best road venues in the country.
Bottom Line
I have listed five teams that could be fun to use in dynasty mode, and other than Georgia most have some issues that will need to be overcome in some form. Regardless, the story here isn’t the five teams I picked — because I could have come up with 30 teams or more — the real story is about the College Football Revamped mod that brings one of the most beloved sports titles ever back to life with more than just a coat of paint. There are instructions on what you will need to install the mod and play it, and people are eager to help both here on OS or on Discord.
