Earlier this week the NCAA announced that it will end its relationship with EA Sports in June 2014 with Bruin legend O'Bannon lawsuit being the elephant in the room. As noted by Peter Berkes of SBN:
The use of player likenesses in NCAA Football games has been a central issue in the ongoing Ed O'Bannon case against the NCAA and EA Sports. The case could soon involve a current college athlete.
But the NCAA's move doesn't mean all that much in terms of whether or not you all will still be able to enjoy the video games:
Let this serve as an educational moment: the NCAA to major college football is essentially nothing but a rule book. It does not run FBS football bowls or conference title games, doesn't restrict which teams can change conferences, doesn't control conference television deals, and couldn't either force or stop the upcoming postseason changes. It attempts to regulate roster management and on-field rules, and that's about it.
Nothing bars EA Sports or any other company from publishing a college football video game. Such a game wouldn't feature the NCAA's name, but otherwise, nothing changes.
Jason Kirk has a list of "seven college football things" EA Sports can still deploy in its video game without worrying about the NCAA.
GO BRUINS..