Where Illinois' Luke Altmyer Ranks Among QBs in EA Sports' College Football 26

Often overlooked among the Heisman contenders and future top NFL Draft picks, Altmyer graded out well in the video game

Oct 26, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) throws a pass during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Illinois' Luke Altmyer was one of the most effective quarterbacks in college football in 2024. Biggest? Strongest arm? Fastest afoot? Nah, he doesn't grade out all that well in those categories. But if a statistic could be engineered to reflect a combination of productivity, efficiency, clutch performance and winning, Altmyer would have ranked somewhere near the top at his position last season.

It hasn't gone unnoticed. Although Altmyer tends to get short shrift in the conversation about college football's elite quarterbacks, EA Sports – which is set to release College Football 26 on July 10 – is giving the Illinois senior passer his props in the latest installment of its college football series.

Altmyer earned an 89 rating in this year's EA title, which ranks him No. 14 among the nation's quarterbacks. Coming off a junior season in which he threw for 2,717 yards, 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions, leading the Illini to 10 wins and a Citrus Bowl upset of South Carolina, Altmyer has the experience and support to deliver his best season yet.

Rise from High School Recruit to NFL Legend.

Pre-Order the MVP Bundle Today!
🔗: https://t.co/S5lFz3cHHk#CFB26 x #Madden26 pic.twitter.com/WWruozNNt5

— EASPORTSCollege (@EASPORTSCollege) June 27, 2025

And if he should need any extra motivation, he can look to the superior ranking (No. 8) of Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers, whom Altmyer outdueled in that Citrus Bowl win. Interestingly, Altmyer ranks behind only Penn State's Drew Allar (ranked No. 3 among all quarterbacks with a 92 rating) among Big Ten players at his position.

As always, it's prudent to remember that 1) these are projections, and 2) those projections come from a video game producer. No matter how true-to-life or entertaining the game, it ain't the same as putting cleats on turf and pads to pads. But it'll be plenty of fun watching Altmyer try to live up to – and perhaps surpass – even the loftiest of projections.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Four-Star Athlete Jacob Eberhart Includes Illinois Among Top Five Finalists

Illinois Coach Bret Bielema Raises Concerns Over Player Tampering

Alabama Beats out Illinois Football on Recruiting Trail Yet Again