Licensed college football video gaming is back, and EA Sports College Football 25 reintroduces the beloved pipelines system. Pipelines are crucial in Dynasty Mode, replicating real-life recruiting strategies. This guide will explain what pipelines are, how to choose the best pipeline for your team, and what the best pipelines are generally.
What are Pipelines?
Pipelines are specific states or regions where a school or coach has extra familiarity and influence. Recruits from these pipeline areas are more likely to be interested in your school. This mimics real-life recruiting, where high school athletes often prefer staying close to home. The game also factors in each recruit’s priority for proximity to home.
Regions: Talent-rich states like California, Georgia, Florida, and Texas are split into multiple pipelines, whereas less talent-dense states are combined into regions like “Big Sky” and “Pacific Northwest.”
Ranking: Schools have pipeline levels ranked from one (weakest) to five (strongest), based on historical recruiting success in those areas. These levels are fixed and do not change, but you can adjust your coach’s pipeline through the “Edit Coach” menu.
What’s the Best Pipeline for My Team?
When creating a coach in Dynasty Mode, you select a pipeline that represents your coach’s professional background and connections. Here’s how to pick the best pipeline:
Consider Your School’s Location: Choose a pipeline that covers your school’s region or where it recruits heavily.
Example: For Maryland, choosing the Tidewater pipeline (covering Maryland, DC, Virginia, and Delaware) makes sense to dominate the local recruiting scene.
Proximity to Talent: If you’re at a smaller school or a school not in a talent-rich state, consider nearby talent-dense regions.
Example: For New Mexico, selecting Texas or California pipelines allows access to high-quality recruits nearby.
Career Aspirations: If you aim to move to a top-tier program, pick a pipeline that synergizes with that school’s recruiting base.
Example: If you want to eventually coach at Alabama, choose Alabama as your pipeline.
What are the Best Pipelines Generally?
While the best pipeline depends on your school and goals, certain regions are consistently talent-rich. Here are some top pipelines to consider:
Florida Pipelines (e.g., Central Florida, South Florida)
Strengths: Abundance of talent, especially fast, deep-threat receivers.
Texas Pipelines (e.g., East Texas)
Strengths: Produces big, physical wide receivers and other skilled positions.
California Pipelines (e.g., Southern California)
Strengths: Known for elite quarterbacks and versatile athletes.
Georgia Pipelines (e.g., South Georgia)
Strengths: Rich talent pool with a variety of skilled positions.
Louisiana
Strengths: Consistent production of high-quality recruits, especially skilled positions.
Metro Atlanta
Strengths: Dense talent with a focus on speed and agility.
Pipeline Quality and Player Types
Each pipeline region is known for producing specific types of players. Here are some examples:
East Texas: Known for big, physical wide receivers.
South Florida: Known for fast, smaller deep-threat receivers.
Conclusion
Choosing the best pipeline in EA Sports College Football 25 depends on your school’s location, your recruiting strategy, and your career goals. Whether you aim to dominate your school’s region or recruit the best talent nationwide, understanding and leveraging the pipeline system is key to building a successful program. Enjoy crafting your college football dynasty with these insights!