College Football 25 is the most highly-anticipated sports video game of all-time and its impact is already stretching far beyond the screens on which it is played. Players are actively beefing over their ratings in the game and how they would translate to real life.
It resulted in a truly savage exchange between Sun Belt opponents on Sunday night, less than 24 hours before the release.
Arkansas State University posted a short clip of the game play to its account on X. The Red Wolves were playin at home at Central Bank Stadium against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. Running back Ja’Quez Cross caught a screen pass out of the backfield and took off running. He went 85 yards to the house!
UL defensive back Keyon Martin did not agree with the caption of the video, which alluded to the realistic look of the game— because Arkansas State scored a big play touchdown. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound senior was unable to catch Cross before the end zone in the video game.
He doesn’t think that would happen in real life.
Yall Know I Would’ve Caught Him Easily
— @MartinIsland21 on X
Red Wolves defensive tackle Nate Martey responded back on behalf of his ball-carrier.
delusional 😂💀
— @nate_martey15 on X
In that moment, a new insult dropped that has not applied for more than a decade. Martin referred Martey to his much higher rating in College Football 25.
Look At Your Overall Then Look At Mine.
— @MartinIsland21 on X
Martey fired back with the on-field results. Arkansas State beat Louisiana last season.
37-17!!!
— @nate_martey15 on X
And then some of Martin’s teammates got involved! Defensive lineman Nijel McGriff chimed in.
Yall was really trash tho
— @McgriffNijel on X
Bad idea. He walked right into what happened next. Martey bodied him.
0.5 tfl on the season😂😂 u gotta sit this one out brudda…
— @nate_martey15 on X
Red Wolves offensive lineman loved the reply.
Fam😂😂😂
— @ElijahZollicof3
Both fanbases believe that their team came away victorious from the exchange. I would lean toward Arkansas State, personally. Martey referenced reality while the guys over at Louisiana were living online.
Either way, we officially have our first college football beef rooted in the College Football 25 video game. We are SO back!