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The March update for Madden NFL 22 is now available. This update features the much awaited - and debated - second update for Franchise Mode, Coach Adjustments and Coverage Depths added to Practice Mode, a Live Playbooks update, and more.

The second live service update for Franchise Mode includes five new Scenarios: Trench Boost, QB Duel, Immovable Object, Under Siege, and QB Breakouts.

In early December, Sports Gamers Online reported that sources had indicated to them that any future Franchise Mode updates were cancelled as portions of the Madden dev team had been shifted to work on EA SPORTS College Football. In turn, EA turned to IGN in releasing a statement that they were still committed to Franchise Mode and would be releasing two additional Franchise updates.

Continue on to read the blog notes straight from EA. ...

Per Matt Brown, the three newest FBS programs (Sam Houston, Jacksonville State, and James Madison) will be in EA SPORTS College Football along with accurate stadiums renderings for each respective program.

James Madison will be a part of the Sun Belt starting in 2022, while Jacksonville State and Sam Houston will be joining Conference USA in 2023. It is rumored, but not confirmed, that EA SPORTS College Football will release in summer 2023. ...

Madden NFL 22's Campus Legends mode returns from January 14-31 and brings in two new schools: Alabama and Ohio State.

The addition of these two programs is noteworthy as neither had been included to date as part of the colleges within Madden NFL's Face of the Franchise mode. This is an encouraging sign for their inclusion in EA SPORTS College Football.

Continue on to see the rosters for Alabama and Ohio State. Rosters for the schools previously part of Campus Legends can be found here. ...

Think you know how bowl season will shake out? Prove it and join The Gaming Tailgate's Capital One Bowl Mania group on ESPN.com.

This game challenges you to select the winners of each of the NCAA college football bowl games with a Confidence scoring system (assign confidence points to your picks). Best of all, the game is FREE to play!

Get in the action now! Group: The Gaming Tailgate

The winner - provided they are a member of TGT in good standing - will receive their choice of a $25 PSN/XBL/Nintendo card. It is free to enter, so feel welcome to invite family and friends.

Continue on to see the full bowl schedule and discussion.
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During the Sports Business Journal Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, the Collegiate Licensing Company's CEO Cory Moss stated that releasing EA SPORTS College Football in the summer of 2023 is the "hope." This date matches an earlier rumor according to Darren Rovell and also according to documents obtained by Matt Brown's Extra Points newsletter.

EA SPORTS would later post a tweet clarifying that they have not released a specific release timeline for the game and will do so at a later date. ...

Sports Gamers Online's Mike Straw is reporting that Madden NFL 22 will not be receiving any additional significant post-launch Franchise Mode improvements as a portion of the Madden team has been moved to work on EA SPORTS College Football.

Straw is also reporting that a source close to the Madden NFL development team has stated devs are "stressed and frustrated" and that "It's not a good place right now." His sources have stated that they know this decision will not be received favorably by the Madden community, especially given how game executives have talked publicly over the last two years that Franchise Mode will be treated as a live service and receive improvements/features throughout the year. The two canceled updates were believed to include a full scouting tree as well as new scenarios.

It is unknown how many team members shifted to EA SPORTS College Football and also why they were moved. For example, is it to shore up the game before the rumored 2023 launch or is the game behind the development curve?

Credit to Sports Gamers Online for this story.

UPDATE - EA has provided a statement to IGN: We do not like to comment on rumors or speculation; however, we are committed to continuing to improve Franchise as a part of our ongoing Madden NFL 22 live service and beyond. This includes two upcoming Franchise updates that we'll deliver in Madden NFL 22. We will have more details on the updates in the new year.

SGO has also since responded: Myself and the rest of SGO will always stand by our original reporting. There’s no reason for us to not continue to do this moving forward. As an outlet started to help sports gamers improve and to bring them the latest on the games they love, if our reporting leads to positive outcomes for the gaming community, that makes it all worth it. ...

Could EA SPORTS College Football be headed for a mobile version in addition to consoles? As first noted by GameRant's Oliver VanDervoort, it would appear so.

Currently listed on Electronic Arts career search website are listings for a Mobile Software Engineer and a Technical Lead for College Football. It is unknown if this unannounced title would be a standalone mobile version of the game or a companion app for the console version or perhaps both. For example, Madden NFL has a standalone mobile game with Madden Mobile as well as a companion app.

Hat tip: GameRant ...

The October update is now available for Madden NFL 22 and with it comes the much anticipated new Scouting feature within Franchise Mode.

Gameplay updates include six new player abilities and also includes improvements to hook zones, curl-flat zones, flat zones, and man coverage alignment/matchups.

Updated facescans have been added for numerous players including: Trey Lance, Ja'Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle. Also new in the update is a ranked mode for The Yard.

Continue on to see a Scouting video walkthrough and full details of this game update. ...

In an exclusive interview with Brian Jones of popculture.com, EA President of Music Steve Schnur gave some very early, but vague, information regarding the soundtrack for EA SPORTS College Football. Some excerpts:

"I'm a hundred percent on it. I've already been all over it for a couple of months," Schnur told PopCulture. "I can tell you that it will be very different [from] Madden, but it's going to be so awesome because I have had an idea, a concept of what I imagined would be the most amazing college football musical experience. ... But when I pitched the executive producer on this idea, I don't think it took him three seconds to go, 'Go.' And so I can't give you details because I literally, I haven't recorded a note yet, but I can tell you that if we could meet next year, I promise you — I will put a hundred bucks down — you are going to say to me, 'That idea just kicks ass.'

Read the full article at popculture.com. After reading the article, let us know what you think this new approach might be in the comments below. ...