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Five Indiana football players from history who belong on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25

The five Indiana football players throughout history who should be on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25.

Published

7 months ago

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Indiana football

After 11 long years of waiting, EA Sports is finally releasing a new college football video game this summer. College football fans and gamers have been waiting for the news after the success of NCAA Football 14 and previous games. The Indiana football dynasties, Heisman Award campaigns, and virtual recruiting battles can begin.

That brings a question. Which Indiana football players throughout history belong on the cover of the legendary video game?

For this list, I didn’t just pick the best Indiana football players of all time. Instead, I chose a mix of some greats and players who brought that video game type of excitement to the field.

The five Indiana football players throughout history I would want to see on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25.

Donaven McCulley (2021-Present)

McCulley is the only current Indiana football player to make the list.

With so many new faces on the roster, it was difficult to choose which current player should make the list, but I went with someone who has already proven to be an exciting player on the outside.

Despite moving to wide receiver just two years ago, McCulley has made a name for himself after leading the Hoosiers in all three receiving statistics in 2023 with 48 catches for 644 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

He has also been known to make some unbelievable catches like the one he made against Wisconsin.

With the expectation that Indiana will implement a more pass-heavy offense under Curt Cignetti, McCulley will have plenty of opportunities to make more video game-type plays.

Anthony Thompson (1986-89)

Making a list of exciting Indiana football players and leaving Anthony Thompson off would be wrong. The program’s all-time leader in rushing yards (5,299), rushing touchdowns (67), and many more statistics.

Thompson’s time at Indiana was nothing short of electric. The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American would have been the perfect candidate to be on the cover of the video game.

His 1988 and 1989 numbers resembled the stat lines of playing the video game on rookie mode.

In 1988 Thompson carried the ball 355 times for 1,686 rushing yards and scored an Indiana record 26 touchdowns.

He followed that season up by carrying the ball 358 times for 1,793 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns in 1989.

Thompson’s exciting tenure with Indiana football would have made him the perfect player to be on the cover of the video game.

Tevin Coleman (2012-14)

Tevin Coleman’s Indiana football career only lasted three years, but it was nothing short of electric.

Coleman began his career as primarily a kick returner before emerging as a stud out of the backfield.

In three seasons with the Hoosiers Coleman averaged over seven yards per rush and was extremely explosive out of the backfield.

In his final season with Indiana, he set the program record for single-season rushing yards with 2,036 while averaging 7.5 yards per attempt.

With multiple games surpassing 200 rushing yards, and one game with over 300 rushing yards, Coleman looked like a video game-type player on the field during his final season with Indiana.

Michael Penix (2018-21)

Michael Penix’s time with Indiana football was not without conflict. He battled numerous injuries and struggled to stay on the field. But when he was on the field wearing cream and crimson, he was nothing short of special.

He led Indiana football to one of their best seasons in recent memory in 2020 before suffering a season-ending knee injury. That season started with the infamous ‘Just the Tip’ two-point conversion against Penn State.

While Penix’s best season in Bloomington occurred with no fans in the stands, his incredible performances made it a memorable one for Indiana fans.

Leading the team to incredible wins over Michigan, Penn State, and others was a part of what made his 2020 season so special.

Despite the loss, his performance against Ohio State was of a man possessed. On the road against the national runner-up, Penix threw for 491 yards and 5 touchdowns, while almost leading a 28-point comeback.

Penix ultimately accomplished more after transferring to Washington, but his four years with the Hoosiers make him a worthy cover athlete for the video game.

Antwaan Randle El (1998-01)

The final player to crack the list is the legendary Hoosier quarterback turned Super Bowl Champion wide receiver.

If you ever have questions about his versatility, his resume will answer them. Randle El is second on the all-time list in both passing yards and rushing yards for Indiana football.

His all-time performance in a 2000 win against Minnesota showed that dual-threat ability. In the win, he threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns to go along with his 210 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

With his combination of speed and passing ability, the dual-threat quarterback would have been the perfect player to use in the college football video game.

His fun name and Sunday Night Football introductions only add to the allure of Randle El and make him a great candidate for the cover of EA Sports College Football 25.

SEE ALSO: ‘When you feel stronger, you feel nobody can stop you’: Kel’el Ware credits Clif Marshall with a large portion of his development with Indiana basketball

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Drew Rosenberg is a staff writer for HoosierIllustrated.com and hosts 'The Talkin' Bout the Hoosiers Podcast' covering Indiana University athletics. Drew graduated from Indiana University's Sports Media program in 2024.

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