EA College Football 27 Ratings: Key Changes After Week 1

11 Sep 2026, 23:19 · The Fresno Bee

The first full week of the college football season is in the books, and EA Sports is already making changes to player ratings in EA College Football 27.

EA’s official Week 1 ratings database includes adjustments throughout the game’s massive roster, with several early-season standouts receiving significant boosts. Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney continued his rise toward the top of the ratings, while Michigan wide receiver JJ Buchanan was rewarded following an unforgettable game-winning catch.

Here are some of the key Week 1 changes we identified.

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Malachi Toney Climbs to 97 Overall

Toney’s ratings boost comes after a monster Week 1 performance against Stanford. The Miami star finished with 12 receptions for a program-record 234 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the 45-6 victory.

EA rewarded the performance by moving Toney from a 96 to 97 overall, further establishing him as one of the highest-rated players in College Football 27. His awareness also climbed two points to 87.

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Other key Week 1 upgrades include:

Malachi Toney, Miami WR: 97 OVR (+1), 87 AWR (+2), 94 CTH (+1), 85 CIT (+1)
Pop Watson, UMass QB: 75 OVR (+5), 74 AWR (+6), 74 BSK (+11), 66 BTK (+10)
Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh QB: 85 OVR (+3), 87 DAC (+3), 86 TUP (+2), 84 AWR (+2)
Jadan Baugh, Florida HB: 92 OVR (+1), 88 JKM (+4), 88 COD (+2)

JJ Buchanan Rewarded After Game-Winning Hail Mary

Buchanan produced one of Week 1’s most memorable moments.

With Michigan facing Western Michigan and one second remaining, quarterback Bryce Underwood launched a Hail Mary that Buchanan hauled in for the game-winning touchdown.

EA rewarded Buchanan with a three-point overall increase from 78 to 81. His spectacular catch received a four-point boost to 91, while jumping increased to 92 (+2) and deep route running moved to 81 (+1).

The Week 1 update shows how quickly performances on Saturdays can translate to College Football 27. With plenty of football still ahead, more breakout performances should give EA plenty to consider in future ratings updates.

This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 4:19 PM.