There are a ton of different game modes that you can jump into in College Football 26, from following the career of your player in Road to Glory, to the managerial-focused Dynasty mode, and even Road to the College Football Playoff. But few are quite as intense as simply playing against a friend for bragging rights. If you want to set up your very own grudge match between yourself and a friend, this guide will explain everything you need to know about how to play friends online in College Football 26.

college football 26 qb slide
How to QB Slide in College Football 26

If you're desperately rushing for those final few yards, you might want to know how to QB slide in College Football 26.

How to Play Against Friends in College Football 26

Set Up Your Big Rivalry Match

To play against a friend in College Football 26, go to the 'Game Modes' option from the main menu and select the 'Play a Friend' option.

You'll then be taken to a screen where you can select the settings for your game. You can adjust the following settings:

  • Fatigue
  • Injuries
  • Even Teams
  • Quarter Length
  • Game Skill
  • Accelerated Clock
  • Weather

After you've adjusted the settings to suit your preferences, press A on Xbox/ X on PlayStation to confirm your choices. The following page will then show you your console's friends list. Select the friend you'd like to play against and invite them to the game.

Once they've accepted your invite, you'll then be able to choose and confirm your teams. After that, you'll be taken into the game to duke it out against one another.

Playing Against a Friend with Crossplay

Alternatively, if your friend is on PlayStation and you're on Xbox, you'll need to use the EA Connect menu to invite them. To do this, you'll need to press the View button on Xbox or the Touchpad on PlayStation to open the EA Connect menu.

With this open, use the Player Search option to enter your friend's EA Connect ID. Once you've found their ID, send them an invite, and they'll be able to accept it from the 'Game Invites' option within the EA Connect menu.

If you or your friend don't know your EA Connect IDs, your own is listed on the right-hand side of the Player Search menu.

How to Play Against a Friend Offline in College Football 26

Hidden in Plain Sight

choose team in offline multiplayer college football 26

To play an offline versus match, go to the 'Play Now' option in the 'Game Modes' menu with two controllers connected to your console. You'll then choose a 'side' of the screen to be and can then adjust the match's settings as you would in the online mode.

Select your teams on the following screen, and then you'll be taken into the match as normal.

It's worth noting that up to four players can play a game on the same console. This means one of you can play as the quarterback and another as the receiver, while the other team controls two different members of their team's defense.

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EA Sports College Football Tag Page Cover Art
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Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 93%
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Released
July 10, 2025
ESRB
Everyone / In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact
Developer(s)
EA
Publisher(s)
EA
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College Football 26 In Game Screenshot 1
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
Sports