Whether you’re gunning for the Heisman or just trying to make your mark on campus, upgrading your player in College Football 26 is crucial for dominating the Road to Glory (RTG) mode. Your player’s ratings determine how well you perform on the field—and ultimately, whether you become a college legend.
Let’s dive into how it all works, how to earn skill points, and smart ways to invest them so you can maximize your Road to Glory career.
When Can You Start Upgrading Your Player?
When you first boot up Road to Glory, you’ll begin as a high school athlete. During these initial five weeks, you cannot upgrade your player yet. Your abilities stay locked at their starting stats until you commit to a college program.
Once you sign with a college, you’ll unlock the Upgrade Player menu in Road to Glory, where you can begin customizing your athlete’s journey to greatness.
How Player Upgrades Work
From the RTG menu, select Upgrade Player. Here, you’ll see the six core ratings you can improve using your earned skill points. Each core rating affects multiple in-game stats depending on your player’s position.
For example, a Quarterback’s core attributes break down like this:
- Accuracy
- Deep Throw Accuracy
- Short Throw Accuracy
- Medium Throw Accuracy
- Throw on the Run
- Throw Under Pressure
- Power
- Throw Power
- Jumping
- Stiff Arm
- Trucking
- Strength
- IQ
- Awareness
- Play Action
- Carrying
- Ball Carrier Vision
- Agility
- Elusiveness
- Change of Direction
- Break Sack
- Juke Move
- Spin Move
- Quickness
- Speed off the line
- Acceleration
- Health
- Injury resistance
- Fatigue management
This list covers all the official attribute names found in the Upgrade Player screen, helping you match exactly what you’ll see in-game.
Each upgrade costs skill points, and costs increase as a stat becomes higher. So, while your first boost might cost just a few points, future upgrades will become pricier.
How to Upgrade a Stat:
- Highlight the rating you want to improve.
- Press and hold A (Xbox) or X (PlayStation) to confirm.
This will confirm the upgrade and deduct the required skill points from your total.
How to Earn Skill Points
There are two primary ways to earn skill points in Road to Glory:
1. Weekly Training Sessions
- Each week, you can spend Energy on training drills.
- Energy is displayed as a silver coin with a lightning bolt in the upper right corner of your screen. Keep an eye on it each week so you know how many training sessions you can run.
- Training yields XP, helping you level up.
- Every time you level up, you earn a skill point.
Excessive training can increase your injury risk and lower your Health stat, so balance your sessions carefully.
Besides on-field drills, you can also spend Energy on Academics and Leadership, which can boost off-field ratings and influence how coaches view you. Investing Energy into Academics and Leadership is the best way to improve those specific off-field stats that can affect coach trust and team dynamics.
2. Completing Game Milestones
During games, you’ll encounter milestones tied to your position—for instance:
- Scoring touchdowns
- Achieving first downs
- Successfully completing passes
- Making key tackles or interceptions
These milestones feel similar to your highlight reel goals from your high school games, making the transition into college gameplay smoother.
Every milestone you complete grants XP, contributing to level progression and more skill points.
Special Boosts for Preorders
If you preordered the Deluxe Edition, you’ll receive 50 skill points immediately after committing to a college. Given that early upgrades often cost under five skill points each, that 50-point boost from the Deluxe Edition preorder can make you an instant starter.
Underdog vs. Top Prospect: Why It Matters
Your RTG starting path impacts how easily you can earn skill points.
- Underdog or Contributor
- Fewer initial game reps.
- Rely more on training sessions for XP.
- May need to prove yourself to earn playing time.
- Top Prospect
- Immediate game time.
- Faster milestone completions.
- Faster skill point earnings through gameplay.
Joining a powerhouse program like Alabama might land you third or fourth on the depth chart, especially as a QB. But signing with a team needing talent in your position could mean more immediate snaps—and more chances to earn XP on the field.
Tips for Smart Upgrading
Here’s how to spend your skill points wisely:
- Focus on Your Playstyle.
Love scrambling as a QB? Invest early in Quickness and Agility. - Don’t Ignore Health.
Injuries can derail your season. A few points into Health can keep you on the field. - Prioritize Early Impact.
Improving key ratings early can help you secure a starting spot faster. - Balance Is Key.
Don’t pour everything into a single attribute. A well-rounded player performs better under pressure.
Go Build Your College Legacy
Upgrading your player in College Football 26’s Road to Glory mode is more than just pumping numbers—it’s about shaping your athlete’s story. Whether you’re carving out a career as a scrambling quarterback or anchoring a defense as a lockdown corner, smart upgrades are your ticket to the spotlight.
So hit those training sessions, chase those milestones, and make every skill point count. Your road to college football greatness awaits!
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