College Football 26 continues to evolve, and with each new elite card release, the QB1 conversation gets a little louder-and a lot more controversial. In this gameplay session, all eyes were on Bryce Underwood, one of the most hyped quarterbacks currently available in CFB 26. With elite physical traits, a lightning-fast release, and top-tier core ratings, Underwood enters the discussion as a potential best quarterback in the game. But does he truly live up to the hype once the sticks are in your hands?

 

After putting him through multiple ranked head-to-head games, clutch moments, make CFB 26 Coins and high-pressure situations, the answer is nuanced-but fascinating.

 

Bryce Underwood Card Overview

 

Let's start with the raw numbers, because Bryce Underwood's card is absolutely loaded.

 

He comes equipped with:

 

 96 Speed

 99 Throw Power

 Elite accuracy ratings across short, medium, and deep throws

 

A release animation identical to Daren Menso, a fan-favorite QB that many players still use to this day

 

From a pure ratings perspective, Bryce Underwood looks like the most complete quarterback in CFB 26. His speed allows him to extend plays, escape pressure, and punish defenses that overcommit. His arm strength makes every throw on the field viable, even under pressure or on the run.

 

Mechanically, his release stands out immediately. The ball gets out fast-noticeably faster than many top-tier quarterbacks-which makes a huge difference against aggressive blitz-heavy defenses in ranked play.

 

Abilities and Chemistry: The One Knock

 

Where Bryce Underwood takes a slight step back is in the ability discount department.

 

Unlike some game-changing quarterbacks, Underwood doesn't receive major AP discounts that allow you to stack elite abilities for cheap. In this gameplay setup, he was running:

 

 Gold Off-Platform for 7 AP

 

That's solid, but not meta-breaking. Discounts matter in CFB 26, especially at quarterback, and this is where some players may feel the card doesn't fully separate itself from the competition.

 

Chemistry-wise, Underwood fits cleanly into:

 

 Run and Shoot

 Option

 Spread

 

That flexibility makes him easy to slot into most offensive schemes, particularly mobile-heavy or RPO-based playbooks.

 

Supporting Cast Additions: Takario Davis Steals the Spotlight

While Bryce Underwood was the headliner, the squad also featured a major defensive addition: Takario Davis.

 

This card is a monster:

 

 6'4"

 97 Speed

 99 Man Coverage

 94 Zone Coverage

 

Slotted into the nickel/slot role, Takario Davis immediately felt impactful. His size alone causes issues for receivers, and his speed lets him recover even when beaten early. While there's still a desire to eventually upgrade at free safety, Davis already plays like a game-changer in the secondary.

 

Chemistry options such as Multiple D, 3-2-6, and 3-3-5 give him flexibility in modern defensive setups.

 

Playbooks and Setup

 

The gameplay ran with:

 

 Oklahoma State offense

 Miami defense

 

This combination emphasizes spread concepts, quick reads, and exploiting mismatches-perfect for testing a quarterback's release, accuracy, and decision-making under pressure.

 

The games themselves were played live on stream, which adds another layer of realism. No edits, no cherry-picked highlights-just raw ranked gameplay with all the chaos that comes with it.

 

Gameplay Impressions: The Good, the Bad, and the Real

 

From the opening drive, Bryce Underwood showed exactly why people are calling him QB1.

 

His first touchdown throw was a dot-perfect timing, clean pocket movement, and a laser to Dorium Moore. Throughout the games, Underwood consistently delivered:

 

 Accurate throws under pressure

 Smooth rollouts with minimal accuracy drop-off

 Fast reads that punished defenses playing lazy coverage

 

Short and intermediate throws felt automatic. Checkdowns to Oscar Delp, Justice Haynes, and Desmond Howard consistently moved the chains. The Michigan connection with Desmond Howard, in particular, was money all session long.

 

Underwood's speed also came into play more than expected. He didn't need to scramble constantly, but when protection broke down, he had the mobility to escape and reset plays-something slower pocket passers simply can't replicate.

 

Ranked Play Reality Check

 

That said, ranked play remains… ranked play.

 

Dropped picks, random animations, blown coverages, and moments where the game simply does what it wants all showed up. Bryce Underwood wasn't immune to that. A few throws sailed, a couple of risky decisions turned into interceptions, and there were moments where timing felt just slightly off.

 

But that's not unique to Underwood-that's CFB 26.

 

What stood out is that he never felt like the reason games were lost. Even in losses, the mistakes felt user-driven rather than card-driven. Missed reads, forced throws, or getting greedy late in games were the real culprits.Comparing Bryce Underwood to the Competition

 

So where does Bryce Underwood land among the elite quarterbacks?

 

Purely from a performance standpoint, he's absolutely in the top tier. The release alone puts him above many options. His speed makes him more versatile than traditional pocket passers, and his arm strength ensures no throw feels risky.

 

However, price matters.

 

At around 1.5 million coins, Underwood sits firmly in the premium tier. And that's where the internal debate starts.

 

Because while Bryce Underwood might be slightly better on paper, there's another quarterback who keeps stealing the spotlight…

 

Why Vince Young Still Wins for Some Players

 

Despite Bryce Underwood's elite showing, the final decision was to go back to Vince Young.

 

Why?

It comes down to preference and value.

 

Vince Young:

 

 Plays incredibly well in this year's engine

 

 Has a release that feels just as consistent, if not better for some users

 

 Offers more value relative to his price point

 

 Fits mobile quarterback playstyles perfectly

 

Bryce Underwood didn't play poorly-far from it. But when two quarterbacks are that close, price and feel matter. And for this particular setup, Vince Young simply felt like the better long-term option.

 

That doesn't mean Bryce Underwood isn't QB1 for someone else. If you value raw speed, arm strength, and a quick release, he absolutely can be the best quarterback in the game for your playstyle.

 

Pack Openings and Rewards

 

After the gameplay, the session wrapped up with a Natty run pack opening-and the results were solid.

 

Highlights included:

 

 Multiple 90+ overall cards

 A 94 Tyreek Tucker

 A 94 Brandon Finny

 Several full College Football Playoff and promo cards

 

It wasn't a mind-blowing haul, but it was more than respectable and capped off the session on a positive note.

 

Final Verdict: Is Bryce Underwood QB1?

 

Bryce Underwood is elite.

 

He has:

 

 One of the fastest releases in CFB 26

 Top-tier mobility

 Maxed-out throw power

 Excellent in-game feel

 Make College Football 26 Coins

 

If coins aren't an issue and you want a quarterback who can do everything at a high level, Bryce Underwood is absolutely worth using-and you can easily make the argument that he's the best quarterback in the game right now.

 

That said, preference still rules CFB 26. For some players, Vince Young-or another elite QB-may simply feel better, especially when factoring in cost and ability discounts.

 

At the end of the day, Bryce Underwood didn't disappoint. He lived up to the hype, delivered in ranked play, and proved he belongs at the very top of the quarterback conversation.