EA Sports Dynasty Mode: Top 5 Toughest Schools

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As sports gamers celebrate the official release of EA Sports College Football 25 on July 19, many will first choose a team for their initial dynasty. Leading up to the release, it was fun to watch gamers enjoy this decision and make "official" announcements on X about the top schools they were considering.

While many will start their EA Sports dynasty with powerhouse schools like Ohio State or Alabama, College Football Dawgs is here for the real gamers who want a challenge. The easiest and laziest approach would be to pick the five worst teams in college football based solely on talent. However, it's important to consider factors such as conference strength, team prestige, recruiting pipelines and the type of talent developed in those pipelines.

Check out the top 5 toughest schools to build a dynasty with if your goal is to win a national championship and avoid getting fired prior.

No. 5: Purdue Boilermakers (82 Overall, 3 Star Prestige)

Over the past 20 seasons, the Boilermakers have been a consistently losing program with a record of 103-140. What makes that record even scarier is they played in one of the weakest divisions since 2014, the Big Ten Conference West. The Big Ten West ends in 2024, bringing four quality teams—USC, Oregon, UCLA and Washington—into the conference. According to College Football News, Purdue has the fourth toughest schedule for the upcoming season.

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In Year 1 of your Purdue dynasty, you can reduce schedule strength by replacing Oregon State and Notre Dame with weaker nonconference opponents. However, you cannot avoid tough conference games against teams like Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State. Winning the Big Ten will bring an automatic playoff berth, but EA Sports' initial top 25 included seven Big Ten teams, with two in the top three.

No. 4: Oregon State Beavers (79 Overall, 2.5 Star Prestige)

Coming in at fourth on our list is Oregon State, a team without a conference and in a state of limbo in the college football landscape. With the disappearance of the Pac-12 Conference, the Beavers are playing several Mountain West Conference teams but are not eligible to win that conference. To make the playoff, Oregon State would need to finish as the highest-ranked Group of 5 team.

From a dynasty perspective, you will be battling Big Ten teams like Washington, Oregon and USC for top recruits. The loss of running back Damien Martinez (overall rating of 91, 67th best player overall) to the Miami Hurricanes in the offseason is a huge blow, as he is exactly the type of workhorse needed for a magical season to get the Beavers on the path to being a powerhouse.

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No. 3: UMass Minutemen (76 Overall, 1.5 Star Prestige)

Since 2012, UMass has been one of the worst teams in college football, with an embarrassing record of 24-112. The Minutemen have had six seasons with one win or less in the last 12 years. UMass will play its last season as an independent this year before joining the Mid-American Conference in 2025. The university and coach Don Brown hope that a return to the MAC will get the program trending in the right direction.

As detailed and thorough as the game is, it's safe to assume EA will not move UMass to the MAC in Year 2 of your dynasty. With that in mind, there is hope for this program as you have the flexibility to adjust the entire schedule year-to-year as the talent level hopefully increases via recruiting and the transfer portal. The first order of business is to get Georgia and Mississippi State off the schedule.

No. 2: Kennesaw State Owls (71 Overall, 1 Star Prestige)

The Owls are set to play their first season of FBS football this year and, as a result, are one of the more popular dynasties for those looking for a challenge. Kennesaw State, a member of Conference USA, will face an uphill battle in its first season, starting with a tough opener on the road against the UTSA Roadrunners in San Antonio.

Two important dynasty factors are working against you: low team prestige and a lack of sufficient FBS talent on the roster. Additionally, being in Southeastern Conference country in Georgia means competing with many top programs for talent. For some hope, one YouTuber had success with the Owls, especially in recruiting, during their first season, but this was played on a beta version.

No. 1: Vanderbilt Commodores (77 Overall, 2.5 Star Prestige)

Similar to all the teams on this list, Vanderbilt has struggled on the field in terms of their win-loss record. In the past 25 seasons, the Commodores have nearly doubled their losses with a record of 101-197. Vanderbilt has not seen much success besides a brief period from 2011 to 2013 when coach James Franklin led them to a 24-15 record.

Why is Vanderbilt the top selection for the most difficult program to build a dynasty with? SEC, SEC, SEC. Like the Big Ten, EA Sports has seven SEC teams in their top 25, and the Commodores play three of them this season. College Football News ranks Vanderbilt's 2024 schedule as the 10th toughest. The Virginia Tech nonconference game is the only option for a little breathing room if you choose to replace them with an easier opponent.

EA Sports Dynasty Challenge

All five of these teams present unique challenges, from the lack of talent at UMass and Kennesaw State to the incredibly tough conferences for Purdue and Vanderbilt. Leading any of these schools to a national championship would be a remarkable achievement for any gamer.