McCray’s image is an integral part of the new EA Sports College Football 25 video game. Here’s how the receiver lives the “underdog” label given to him by the game.
Monday, July 15th was a monumental day for college football fans, a day 11 years in the making.
During that 11-year hiatus, a window which marked the dates between the release of the NCAA Football 2014 video game and EA Sports College Football 25, dozens of hurdles were cleared in order for the game to make its triumphant return to our living rooms, with the passage of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation in summer 2021 significantly opening the door.
Roughly 2.2 million players purchased the deluxe version of the game (which included early access) before the game’s general release, signifying the status of this game as a widespread cultural phenomenon. With a wide gamut of game modes available in EA Sports CFB 25, those 2.2 million were all testing different aspects of a game they craved for over a decade. One popular feature is “Road to Glory” mode, which is a realistic simulation of the journey of a student-athlete pursuing college football greatness — detailing items including gameday experiences, practices, and off-the-field student-athlete endeavors ranging from academic exams to social life.
When launching Road to Glory mode in EA Sports CFB 25, players are granted four options of difficulty. You can play as a five-star recruit, a four-star recruit, a three-star recruit, or a two-star recruit. Each of the four modes is associated with an image of an active college football player: Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter for five-star players, Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke for four-star players, Arizona quarterback for three-star players, and for the two-stars players, it’s Kent State wide receiver Chrishon McCray.
When gazing at the right-most option on the selection screen, eight bold letters comprising one word appear over McCray’s image: “UNDERDOG.”
Screenshot courtesy of EA Sports College Football 25
McCray found out about his prominent image in the game the same way any ordinary fan would: over the phone. The receiver’s phone flooded with text messages and calls when EA Sports published a deep dive on Road to Glory mode on July 11 — four days prior to the game’s early release.
“It was an amazing feeling to know all the hard work has been noticed,” McCray said of his distinguished presence in the game. “I’ve been doubted and the underdog my whole life so it was a pretty cool experience. I don’t take anything for granted, so it’s a blessing regardless.”
McCray later recognized his inclusion as one of the game’s icons in a viral TikTok post, citing how it made the 11-year wait for a college football video game worth it.
This time 11 years ago, playing NCAA 14 was a staple of McCray’s fourth-grade childhood, further developing his interest in the game of football. McCray, along with his brother, used to create his own virtual avatar in Road to Glory mode on NCAA 14. But that hopeful fourth-grader didn’t realize he’d be the face of the game mode next time EA Sports manufactured a college football video game.
“It was a great feeling to know that at a young age, you’re creating your own self in these video games and now other people are allowed to play with your character,” McCray said. “It’s definitely an amazing feeling knowing that I’m chasing my dreams and providing the same opportunity for others to chase theirs.”
Now, millions of players up for a challenge in Road to Glory mode are simulating a journey mirroring that of McCray — the unorthodox path of an underdog. During his high school days in Avon, Indiana, McCray was an undersized running back regarded as anything but a highly-touted recruit.
After his junior year, he attended a running back mega camp at the University of Indianapolis, where Kent State’s previous coaching staff discovered him and raised one suggestion: stay for the wide receiver session of the camp.
After observing McCray in that session, Kent State offered him as a receiver, meaning he’d have to switch positions for his senior year at Avon High School. McCray was hesitant at first. However, with a Division I opportunity on the line, he followed through with the change and the results were fruitful.
“I knew at the next level I’d be a great receiver instead of a running back because of my weight, so that’s why I made the switch to receiver,” McCray said. “There was definitely a little bit of doubt at first going into my senior year. I didn’t want to play receiver, but as soon as I caught my first touchdown, I started to love the receiver position. It was a 360 change for me.”
Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
He tallied over 1,300 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior, thriving in his first action at his new position. But upon arriving at Kent State, McCray’s production not only declined — it diminished to zero. The receiver rarely saw on-field action in his first season on campus and wound up without a single reception.
“It was definitely a reality check,” McCray said. “I haven’t been playing receiver as long as these other guys, so I knew I had a lot to learn from them as well as the coaches that were here. I knew I had to trust the process and my time would come eventually.”
That December, head coach Sean Lewis stepped down from his role to pursue an offensive coordinator gig at Colorado. In a resulting domino effect, nearly the entire starting offense fled to the portal. Yet, coming off a season with minimal production and equipped with a new coaching staff led by head coach Kenni Burns, McCray did not waiver. He placed firm belief in the only program that believed in him coming out of high school, and it paid dividends.
“I knew that it was a fresh start for everyone,” McCray said on why he stayed put. “I knew I had an opportunity to compete for the starting job, and that’s why I really decided to stay, to show my worth.”
The start of “Big Play McCray” launched Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023 in a nationally televised game at UCF.
Kent State lost 56-6, but the emergence of a new star receiver was the silver lining for an offense which lost all 11 starters in the 2023 offseason. That night, McCray’s first collegiate reception resulted in an explosive 74-yard pickup — dragged down one-yard short of the end zone. Unfortunately for McCray, the play never counted as an ineligible man downfield wiped the moment from the history books.
Still, his footprint on the game was evident. He hauled in three first down receptions for 61 yards, assuring the Golden Flashes’ new-look offense had viable talent at receiver. For most spectators, that night in Orlando was the first trace of McCray’s superstar potential, but for Coach Burns, he observed signs throughout spring football and fall camp.
“I knew in the spring of last year he was a guy that had a ton of potential,” Burns said. “I saw a guy who was eager to learn. I always say if you’re a really good player, you come in every day and you want to be coached like you’re a freshman. Even if you’re a senior, you want to be coached like you’re a freshman so you can learn something new. Chrishon has been that since I walked through the door. I’m excited for his growth. I think he’ll tell you last year he was shocked he made first team all-league. I think he probably has a lot of meat left on the bone, and I expect him to raise that level this year.”
Kent State resurfaced on national television on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023 in a weeknight “Midweek MACtion” contest, pitted against its most hated rival Akron. That night, McCray unearthed another level of his game, corralling six receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns. But the dominance on an elevated stage all came to a sudden stop in the middle of the third quarter with a gruesome twist of the ankle.
“It definitely was a bummer,” McCray said. “I didn’t know what to think of the situation besides wanting to be out there with my teammates. But I knew I had to take on a different role and really start leading in a different way than I’m not used to, because I’m usually a lead by example type of guy. That’s when I had to start being a vocal leader.”
Limited to just nine games due to the season-ending injury, McCray finished his breakthrough 2023 campaign with 610 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 41 receptions. It was enough to catapult him onto the All-MAC First Team roster — the only Kent State player to achieve that honor.
“It was a great feeling to be noticed and recognized, but I know there is so much more work that needs to be done,” McCray said. “That definitely motivates me a little bit more in the offseason to get back to where I was at.”
In the modern day of college football where NIL is an integral of recruiting, first team all-conference selections will make you a marked man for outside opportunities. In 2023, nine of the MAC’s 27 First Team selections hit the transfer portal, pursuing ventures at the likes of Alabama and Oklahoma.
“He had a ton of schools come after him and try to get him,” Burns said. “He shows you — like that guy who got drafted from Toledo (Quinyon Mitchell) — that there’s still a path for [Group of Five] schools if you can have relationships and if you can be genuine, there’s still people that will stick with you and help you build something. He is two feet down on Kent State and he wants to do something special here.”
McCray understands there is unfinished business at Kent State after finishing as the only 1-11 FBS program in 2023. Instead of chasing transfer opportunities in other conferences, he is focused on building the Golden Flashes into a winner, continuing to embrace the role as college football’s ultimate underdog.
“I believe deeply in what our team can do in the future, and I believe in Coach Burns and what he’s teaching us,” McCray said. “We’ve had the hardest offseason we’ve ever had so we’re all really motivated and hungry to get back out there and just let our play do the talking.”