As the year winds down, College Football 26 is entering the final stretch of its update cycle. With only one—maybe two—title updates left before development shifts heavily toward College Football 27, players are eager to know what improvements, fixes, and new content they can expect. Luckily, EA has already begun rolling out small but meaningful weekly updates, and more additions are on the way.

Here’s a full breakdown of everything currently happening in CFB26, what recent updates added, and what’s still expected before the studio turns its full attention to next year’s game.

Weekly CFB26 Top 25 Poll Updates Begin

This week, EA released a smaller update focused on refreshing the in-game College Football Top 25 poll for Week 13. While not a massive patch, it marks the start of something players have been asking for all season: weekly ranking updates that actually reflect real-life performance.

This wasn’t consistently done earlier in the year—updates usually appeared only during roster refreshes, which were limited. Now, EA has confirmed the Top 25 will be updated every week for the rest of the year, bringing more immersion and realism to quick games, Play Now matchups, and general offline play.

Week 13’s Biggest Movers

1. Oregon Ducks – Up to #5

Oregon secured a major win over USC with a dominant 400+ yard offensive performance. Their Big Ten Championship hopes remain alive, and even if they fall short, they’re positioned as one of the strongest rosters in the country.

2. Michigan Wolverines – Up to #15

Michigan climbed two spots after steamrolling Maryland behind 200+ rushing yards and a strong turnover margin. Their upcoming matchup against #1 Ohio State may determine their entire playoff outlook.

3. Pittsburgh Panthers – Up to #23

After upsetting Georgia Tech, Pitt reenters the Top 25. With 400+ yards of total offense and a standout defensive performance, they remain firmly in the ACC hunt heading into their matchup with Miami.

EA also released the full Top 25 rankings from 1–25, which will continue to shift as major real-world rivalry games unfold this coming weekend.

More Updates Are Coming—But Only a Few

Based on EA’s yearly patterns (especially from College Football 25), players should expect no more than one or two additional title updates before development fully transitions to CFB27.

So what can we expect in these final patches?

Gameplay Adjustments: Small Tweaks, Not Major Overhauls

Most gameplay issues that could be quickly fixed have been addressed throughout the year. EA is unlikely to push heavy gameplay changes this late in the cycle, especially with CFB27’s development ramping up.

Expect:

✔ Small balance tuning

✔ Minor bug fixes

✔ Adjustments to overpowered strategies or AI behaviors

Don’t expect:

✘ Major gameplay rewrites

✘ Significant animation changes

✘ New core systems

EA is essentially “locking in” the version of CFB26 players will have for the next 5–6 months.

Potential Playbook Additions Still on the Table

One area that may see more noticeable improvements is playbooks. Last year, EA added a huge set of plays late in the cycle. This year, Madden recently received 1,000+ new plays, including formations not currently in CFB26.

Many of Madden’s new plays were ported from CFB26—but many others were not. Because the two games share assets, there’s a real possibility EA decides to bring:

· New formations

· New pass concepts

· Updated run game sets

· Additional team-specific wrinkles

…into College Football 26 before the year ends. This is one of the most exciting possibilities, and historically, EA has done exactly this late in the cycle.

Uniform Updates Are Guaranteed

College football uniforms are constantly being revealed leading up to rivalry week and bowl season. EA has already confirmed several new alternates—such as the Navy’s newly revealed uniforms—will be added in an upcoming patch. Uniform updates are one of the last guaranteed additions for CFB26 this year.

Equipment Updates: The F7 Helmet Should Finally Arrive

Player equipment has received several updates throughout the year, but the most requested item hasn’t arrived yet:

The Schutt F7 Helmet

Schutt publicly stated they already sent the model to EA, yet it still hasn’t appeared in-game.  Regardless, it is expected this year for both Madden and CFB.

Alongside the F7, EA could also add:

· New wrist coaches

· New wristbands

· Recently added Madden-only accessories

· Cleat updates

· Face mask variations

If Madden has it, CFB26 is likely to get it—especially before the development team moves on completely.

Roster & Ratings Updates Before Heisman Selection

EA will also likely push a final roster reshuffle before the end of the season.

Expect:

✔ End-of-season rating adjustments

✔ Ability reshuffles for high-profile players

✔ Heisman winner becoming a 99 overall (as with Travis Hunter last year)

This usually comes shortly after the Heisman ceremony, so the update may land in early December.

Once the final update lands, CFB26 will remain in its final state until July, when the yearly cycle begins again. While major updates are unlikely, the remaining changes will keep the game fresh while players look forward to the first big news on College Football 27 early next year.