It's a college football player's paradise, where dreams and reality meet in new EA Sports video game

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway grabbed a controller, settled comfortably into a leather stool and immediately started to adjust Florida’s roster.

There was only one move to make, really: Lagway benched Graham Mertz and inserted himself into the starting lineup for a quick game of EA Sports College Football 25 against teammate Tank Hawkins.

Things got surreal from there.

With Lagway and Hawkins both playing as the Gators and subbing out Mertz, Lagway intercepted, well, himself on Hawkins’ first two throws.

“That was different,” Lagway quipped.

It’s surely happening across the country, with college football players finally getting to be themselves — or play against themselves — in one of the hottest video games on the planet.

EA Sports College Football 25 released on Friday as schools across the country threw parties, tournaments and fan events with their teams to celebrate. Florida gave The Associated Press a behind-the-scenes look this week at teammates squaring off on a big screen during the team’s annual photo/video shoot.

There were oohs and aahs, grunts and groans, and as much trash talk as any rivalry game.

“It was like a childhood dream,” said Lagway, who won his matchup. “Growing up playing the game, playing NCAA and creating a player, creating your player on the game, and now it’s automatically on there, it’s like a dream come true.”

Many of the current Gators grew up playing Madden, the game's NFL equivalent that's released annually. After all, the last of EA Sports’ college football games debuted in 2013. The popular gaming franchise was dormant for 11 years, forced to stop production as calls grew louder for players to get paid for their name, image and likeness.

Not long after the NCAA decided to allow college athletes to profit from their brand, EA Sports opted to revive its revered game. In the days leading up to its release, 2.2 million gamers had already played during an early-access period, and 600,000 more had signed up for an EA Play trial.

EA Sports offered Football Bowl Subdivision players a minimum of $600 and a copy of College Football 25 to be featured in the game. Thousands accepted, including everyone on Florida’s roster.

“I was watching the countdown,” said freshman linebacker Myles Graham, the son of former Florida and NFL running back Earnest Graham. “Every day, I was just counting down, counting down. I was anticipating. I was so excited, and the day came, and I’ve been glued to it ever since.”

Similar to Lagway’s roster adjustment, Graham quickly moved himself into a starting linebacker spot over teammate Shemar James before squaring off against running back Anthony Rubio, the son of Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

“How bad would it be if I played as Miami?” asked Rubio, a Miami native who ended up picking Michigan instead of Florida’s upcoming season-opening opponent.

Rubio spent countless hours as a kid playing old versions of the EA Sports’ college football game and would usually choose the Gators when vying against childhood friends.

“I would destroy them with Tim Tebow — always,” he said.

Indeed, the left-handed No. 15 in NCAA Football 09 was close to unstoppable. Lagway, Hawkins, Graham and others have a long way to go to get there.

Lagway’s overall rating in the game is the highest of the group at 80, not a bad start for a highly touted recruit from Texas who already has been featured in a Gatorade commercial.

“I feel like I have to prove myself,” he said, adding that he hopes to jump a few points when EA Sports updates its ratings later in the season. “Stay tuned for that one. I’m excited. It’ll be fun.”

Lagway and teammates raved about some of the more realistic aspects of the game, including the imagery, the ability to shake tackles and the effects of crowd noise. They also loved that creators incorporated NIL deals and the transfer portal in dynasty mode, where gamers can build any program into a five-star powerhouse.

But more than anything else, it was just cool to see themselves in a video game.

“It’s basically kind of like manifesting what you want to do, honestly, in a way,” Hawkins said. “What I’m doing in a video game I can probably — definitely — do in real life.”

Running back Montrell Johnson is one of Florida’s best players and widely considered the team’s top gamer. He stayed up into the wee hours of the night playing College Football 25 before traveling to the Southeastern Conference’s preseason media days event in Dallas. And when he saw the game was available in the green room, he hopped on for more playing time.

Defensive lineman Caleb Banks spent $150 to get an MVP bundle package that provided him with early access to the game.

“I couldn’t wait that one extra day,” he said. “I just couldn’t do it. It was worth it, though. If I had to do it all over again, I would.”

His mom is begging for a signed copy of the game. One problem, though: “It’s sold out everywhere,” he said.

Florida’s locker room has plenty of copies, all of them already in use. Lagway can’t recall how many times he’s already played the game, but it’s sure to slow down once training camp begins next week. He does know the number of passes he has let Mertz throw.

“One,” he said, laughing. “We did a trick play, and he threw it to me.”

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

From left to right, Jayden Valdez, of Las Vegas, accompanies Abram Wilkerson and Braylee Bryant, both of Thornton, Colo., in joining Colorado center Yakiri Walker and offensive tackle Kareem Harden to play the EA Sports College Football 25 video game during a release party Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Memorial Union on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado wide receiver Kaleb Mathis, left, faces off against running back Kam Mikell, right, as offensive lineman Tyler Johnson looks on during the EA Sports College Football 25 video game release party Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Memorial Union at University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado running back Kam Mikell, front right, and wide receiver Kaleb Mathis, front left, face off during the EA Sports College Football 25 video game release party Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Memorial Union on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Fans look on as Colorado wide receiver Kaleb Mathis, front left, faces off against running back Kam Mikell, right, during the EA Sports College Football 25 video game release party Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Memorial Union on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado center Yakiri Walker, front, and running back Kam Mikell, center, join offensive lineman Tyler Johnson, left, in playing the EA Sports College Football 25 video game during a release party Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Memorial Union on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo. EA Sports College Football 25 flooded the market Friday as gamers who waited more than a decade for the franchise's next installment hurry to play. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

It's a college football player's paradise, where dreams and reality meet in new EA Sports video game

It's a college football player's paradise, where dreams and reality meet in new EA Sports video game

A decoration stands on a table as members of the football team from the University of Colorado play the EA Sports College Football 25 video game during a release party Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Memorial Union on the campus in Boulder, Colo. EA Sports College Football 25 flooded the market Friday as gamers who waited more than a decade for the franchise's next installment hurry to play. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's government has revoked permission for Brazil to serve as custodian of Argentina's diplomatic missions in the country, alleging several anti-government opponents holed up for months in the Argentine ambassador's residence had been plotting terrorist acts from the compound.

In a statement Saturday, Venezuela's foreign ministry said it had notified Brazil of its decision, which will take effect immediately. It said it was forced to take action based on what it called evidence — which it hasn't shared — that those who sought refuge in Argentina's diplomatic mission were plotting.

Magalli Meda, the former campaign chief of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was among a half dozen government opponents who fled to the Argentina ambassador’s residence after Maduro’s chief prosecutor in March issued an order for her arrest for allegedly propagating destabilizing, political violence.

In retaliation, Maduro broke off diplomatic relations with Argentine President Javier Milei’s right-wing government, which tapped neighbor Brazil to represent its interests and safeguard the asylum seekers.

There was no immediate response from Argentina or Brazil.

Since Friday, armored vehicles from the SEBIN political police have been parked outside the Argentina ambassador’s residence in a leafy Caracas neighborhood. Electricity to the diplomatic mission was also cut, according to Meda, who has taken to social media to denounce what she fears is an impending raid to arrest her and the other government opponents.

Police guard Argentina's embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)