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College Football 25 officially hit the store racks for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles on Friday. EA Sports made roughly $200 million in-game sales in the days leading up to Friday's official release. Each player in the game earned $600 and a copy of the game.

Arizona is the 16th-ranked team in College Football 25, with an 87 overall team rating. 

"I think it's so cool," said UA coach Brent Brennan. "I'm not a big gamer, but I love it because of the excitement it's generating for the college football season, and the excitement it's generating for Arizona football. People are excited to play with Noah Fifita and (Tetairoa McMillan) and Jacob Manu and Gunner Maldonado, whoever. That part is going to be awesome, and for the players, it's so cool, because they grew up playing older versions of the game. But in their lives as high school and college football players, it hasn't been available. I think it's awesome."

With over a month until Arizona's season opener on Aug. 31 against New Mexico in Tucson, the Star conducted 10 full-season simulations of the 2024 schedule for the Wildcats. Here's a look at how the Wildcats fared in their College Football 25 simulations: 

Simulation 1: Arizona star receiver Tetairoa McMillan ended his potential last season with 57 receptions for 1,225 yards — three yards shy from breaking Bobby Wade's all-time record at the UA — and 12 touchdowns. Although McMillan was crowned best wide receiver in college football, the Wildcats ended the season 6-6 and didn't play in a bowl game despite having postseason bowl eligibility. Sophomore defensive back Genesis Smith led the team with 66 tackles and three interceptions. 

Simulation 2: In the Arizona-Nebraska postseason rubber match, the 12th-ranked Wildcats edged No. 18 Nebraska 34-30 in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. Arizona ended the season with a 10-4 record, marking the first time in program history the Wildcats produced back-to-back 10-win seasons after going 10-3 last year. Arizona was on the cusp of making the College Football Playoff but lost to Kansas State 49-14 in the Big 12 championship game in Dallas. Arizona upset KSU 34-31 in Manhattan, Kansas earlier in the year. 

Simulation 3: Arizona's electric offense finished fifth nationally in passing behind Georgia, North Texas, Clemson and Florida. The Wildcats had two 1,000-yard receivers — and neither of them were McMillan. Slot receiver and Old Dominion transfer Reymello Murphy had 71 catches for 1,086 yards and 18 touchdowns, while Montana Lemonious-Craig had 73 catches for 1,007 yards and 15 touchdowns. McMillan had 63 catches for 972 yards and 12 touchdowns. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita completed 76% of his passes for 4,222 yards, 51 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Fifita became the second quarterback in Arizona history to pass for over 4,000 yards, joining Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. The Wildcats lost a heartbreaking shootout 72-70 against BYU in Provo, Utah, along with a 49-41 setback to Arizona State for the Territorial Cup, but beat Kansas State on the road. Arizona capped its 9-4 season with a 42-27 win over Auburn in the Texas Bowl. 

Simulation 4: The Wildcats faced all sorts of adversity between backup Brayden Dorman taking over for Fifita, and the Wildcats losing five of six games in the middle of the schedule. However, Dorman threw for 2,043 yards, 19 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and Arizona went 8-5 and beat North Texas 38-20 in the Auto Zone Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Lemonious-Craig led the Cats in receiving and averaged 101.4 yards per game.  

Simulation 5: After wins over New Mexico and Northern Arizona — err, FCS Midwest, because FCS schools aren't a part of the game, so EA Sports created made-up FCS directional schools — to start the season, Arizona lost three straight games and had a sour intro to the Big 12. Smith, once again, led the team in tackles with 87 and he also produced two interceptions. Arizona lost to Nebraska at the Independence Bowl to end the season 7-6. Kansas State, Utah and Texas Tech earned spots in the expanded CFP. 

Simulation 6: In a fashion similar to what the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers have become known for, Arizona lost four one-possession games and finished 11th in the Big 12 standings, but went 7-6 and beat Duke in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte. Fifita passed for 4,054 yards, 41 touchdowns and 7 interceptions with a 73% completion rate; he averaged 311.8 yards per game. Lemonious-Craig had a whopping 103 catches, breaking Wade's single-season record of 93 receptions. Lemonious-Craig also had 1,489 yards and 19 touchdowns, breaking Jacob Cowing's record (13). Linebacker Justin Flowe led the team in tackles (93). 

Simulation 7: Former Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch introduced the "It's Personal" mantra at the UA, but when facing Hawaii in the postseason, it's a little bit more personal when the head coach of the Wildcats, Brennan, is a disciple of Dick Tomey, who is a coaching icon with both programs and introduced the strategy of recruiting Polynesian players to the UA. The Wildcats went 8-5 and finished seventh in the Big 12, but beat Hawaii for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at Chase Field on New Year's Eve in downtown Phoenix. Nike founder Phil Knight finally got his wish: Oregon won the national championship after beating Kansas State. 

Simulation 8: Arizona took down former Big 12 member Missouri 31-26 in the Texas Bowl to conclude the year 9-4 and fifth in the conference. Utah beat Notre Dame to win the national championship. Former Arizona receiver Dorian Singer, who spent last season at USC, was named MVP of the national championship game with seven catches for 155 yards and three touchdowns for the Utes.

Simulation 9: Upset alert! New Mexico escaped Tucson with a 20-19 win over the Wildcats, Arizona's first loss to the Lobos in Tucson since 2007. Not an ideal way to kick off the most anticipated UA football season in at least six years, but the Wildcats eventually rattled off five straight victories to end the season, including a 45-28 win over Virginia Tech in the Pop Tarts Bowl. Fifita threw for 4,368 yards, passing Foles for the single-season school record, along with 43 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 75% completion rate. Fifita was seventh for National Player of the Year. Murphy had 1,077 receiving yards, and right tackle Jonah Savaiinaea surrendered two sacks on 846 snaps played.  

Simulation 10: The Wildcats ended the season ranked 13th nationally with a 9-4 record and fourth-place finish in the Big 12. Arizona's losses were to Kansas State, Texas Tech, Colorado and TCU. San Jose State transfer running back Quali Conley led the UA in rushing with 756 yards and nine touchdowns on 134 carries. Conley was the leading rusher in every simulation. EA Sports is expected to add New Mexico transfer running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt leading up to the season. Over 30 years after Arizona shut out Miami 29-0 in the Fiesta Bowl, the Wildcats beat the Hurricanes again. This time, a 45-42 win in the Pop Tarts Bowl. 

Summary: EA Sports doesn't like Arizona going to the College Football Playoff, but the Wildcats knocked on the door with an appearance in the Big 12 championship. In the 10 simulations, Arizona averaged nine wins and just under five losses.