EA Sports College Football 26 Sparks Controversy by Omitting Two Alabama National Championships From Its Historical Records Feature
Alabama fans are not happy, and for good reason. The long-awaited return of the EA Sports College Football video game franchise, now branded as College Football 26, has generated massive excitement across the country. With updated graphics, an expansive Dynasty mode, and over 130 playable FBS teams, the game brings nostalgia and modern flair together for a new generation of players. But among all the innovations and features rolled out, one detail is causing a storm in Tuscaloosa—and it’s not a glitch or a gameplay mechanic.
It’s about respect. Or, in this case, the perceived lack of it.
In the in-game historical records section—where players can view each school’s official number of national championships—Alabama is listed with only 16. That number excludes two national titles recognized by the university: the 1941 and 1973 championships. And for many die-hard fans of the Crimson Tide, it’s not just an oversight—it’s an insult.
For decades, Alabama has proudly claimed 18 national championships. That figure, prominently displayed on team gear, Bryant-Denny Stadium signage, and university literature, has long been a point of pride. So when EA Sports rolled out a streamlined “official” record book and left out those two titles, it didn’t take long for the backlash to begin.
Social media erupted, with fans and former players questioning how EA Sports could fail to include Alabama’s full claim. Message boards filled with threads titled “#WeClaim18,” and hashtags like #EAGetItRight and #WhereAreTheTitles began trending among the Crimson Tide faithful.
But to understand the intensity of the reaction, you have to understand the complicated history of national championships in college football—and why Alabama’s total has always been a source of debate, even beyond the digital realm.
Prior to the implementation of the Bowl Championship Series in 1998, and especially before the College Football Playoff began in 2014, college football national champions were often determined by various polls, organizations, and rating systems. There was no singular governing body. As a result, different teams could be awarded national championships in the same year by different sources.
Alabama claims national titles for 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020. That 1941 season, in particular, has been hotly debated, as Alabama went 9-2 and finished third in the SEC, while Minnesota was named national champion by the AP Poll. However, a retroactive ranking system (the Houlgate System) awarded the national title to Alabama, and the university added it to its record in the 1980s.
Similarly, in 1973, Alabama was ranked No. 1 in the final UPI Coaches Poll before the bowl games. However, they lost to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl and finished No. 4 in the final AP Poll. Alabama still claims that title due to the structure of polling at the time, which locked in final UPI rankings before postseason play.
EA Sports, in its explanation, stated that its historical records are based on “widely accepted consensus national champions as determined by the NCAA-recognized major selectors and polling consensus at the end of the season.” In short, they used a stricter, modern interpretation that leans on post-bowl consensus national champions rather than any recognized selector from the time.
But here’s where it gets tricky: the NCAA does not officially award national championships in FBS football. Instead, it lists “recognized” titles from third-party selectors. And Alabama’s claims, while not universally agreed upon, are far from fabricated. The university has always been transparent about which years it claims titles and why.
This nuance is lost in the video game, where a simple number—16—is listed, and the deeper context is omitted. That’s what has fans feeling slighted.
For a program as rich in tradition and scrutiny as Alabama, details matter. Every title counts. Every year is part of the lore. The numbers are not just decorative—they’re symbolic of an identity built on decades of excellence, adversity, and championship grit. To reduce that legacy by two, even in a video game, feels like erasure to the Tide community.
Some former players took to social media to voice their displeasure. “I don’t care if it’s a game—get the history right,” tweeted a former Alabama defensive back. “We worked too hard for that respect.”
Even current players have noticed the omission. Several Alabama athletes posted TikToks reacting to the number, some joking, some not-so-joking. “Tell EA to run those numbers again,” one post read, accompanied by a clip of national championship highlights.
The university itself has not released an official statement on the matter, but internally, it’s a conversation that’s picking up steam. A university source familiar with the athletic department’s relationship with EA Sports suggested that the omission was “disappointing” and “may require clarification in future versions or updates.”
Could a patch or update fix it? Possibly. EA has already announced that historical data and legacy features in College Football 26 may evolve based on fan feedback. But that doesn’t erase the sting of seeing one of college football’s most iconic programs diminished, even slightly, in one of the most anticipated sports titles in recent memory.
This controversy also highlights a broader issue: how do you represent college football’s murky, often subjective history in a modern, data-driven video game? College football’s pre-BCS history is full of shared titles, disputed claims, and retroactive selections. For some schools, like Alabama, those early years are inseparable from their legacy. For others, it opens debates about legitimacy, context, and revisionist history.
For example, Notre Dame, Michigan, Oklahoma, and USC all have national championships that were claimed using similar pre-consensus criteria. Will those also be challenged or “adjusted” in the game’s logic? And how will future titles be tracked now that the College Football Playoff has added even more complexity to the championship landscape?
It’s not just a matter of digital trivia—it’s about legacy, perception, and how college football programs are remembered by future generations. A 14-year-old fan playing College Football 26 today may never dig into the nuance of 1941 or 1973. They’ll see “16 titles” and assume that’s the full story.
And for Alabama fans, that’s not just a minor mistake—it’s a misrepresentation of everything the program stands for.
As the conversation continues, many hope EA Sports will revisit its criteria for what it considers “official” and offer more context in the game itself. Perhaps an explainer tab, or a breakdown of recognized versus claimed titles, would offer clarity and fairness to all fanbases.
Until then, the debate rages on in message boards, Reddit threads, and group chats across the college football world. For Alabama fans, though, one thing is clear: they aren’t going to let College Football 26 rewrite their history without a fight.
After all, in Tuscaloosa, championships aren’t suggestions. They’re legacy. They’re pride. And most importantly—they’re counted.
