Available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2
Retail price: $59.99 (X360, PS3), $39.99 (PS2)
First impressions:
The new lighting system looks great. New uniform options help the game feel fresh. Improved animation, playbook and play calling systems get closer to the college game than before, as does the removal of the traditional turbo button for a more nuanced ground game. Team-specific tunnel entrances are nice, and many of the stadiums got visual touch ups.
Online play was too spotty to be reviewed fairly, with the EA servers often unavailable, but when they worked, the offerings looked fantastic. Once ironed out, most folks will play their dynasties (multi-year recruiting included) online. The chance to fight friends for blue-chip recruits and recruit at work using a Web browser or smart phone could prove dangerously fun. As it stands, the game is easily the franchise's best current-gen effort.
If you like college football, this is your game.
Early grade: 4 stars out of 5 (final grade could be higher if online bugs get worked out).
-Aaron Sanderford
Let's skip the small talk: We all want to know who wins. Even the Nebraska athletic department acknowledged -- then retracted its nod to -- the biggest college football game of 2010.
It involves some team in burnt orange that likes to remind Nebraska fans about 1-8 (the Big Red's record against Texas). Or Ricky Williams, the snowy fumble, James Brown on fourth down.
No doubt, Nebraska fans, nobody messes better with red than Texas. But this year, in the last year of the Big 12 (-2) Conference, the tables have turned -- at least they did this week in the digital world of EA Sports' NCAA Football 11.
Those hoping for an offensive renaissance in Huskerville should be glad the EA online servers have been so spotty. Otherwise, you could have seen video of what likely keeps Bo Pelini awake at night.
If the first spin with this year's college football video game is any indication, get ready to celebrate defense on Oct. 16. And a victory.
But someone call ABC and apologize now for setting football back to black-and-white, because the 8-3 final would make for anything but good television.
EA scoring summary: Two Alex Henery field goals and a Pierre Allen sack for a safety beats a single UT trey.
Still, you'd get little resistance if you promised that result to the 81,000-plus who will stream into the real Memorial Stadium that October night or from those sharing their Red Out Around the World.
Because nothing says goodbye among "friends" like an old-fashioned punch in the mouth.
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