They're in the game: Rams, Storm football custom made in 'CFB26'

RIO RANCHO — For those gamers out there, they know the slogan: “EA Sports, it’s in the game.”

Now, Rio Rancho and Cleveland football are in the game as well … sort of.

Dante Chip, a local high school sports photographer from Las Cruces, has created the 5A and 6A New Mexico high school football teams in the EA Sports video game “College Football 26.”

“I have always been a big fan of customization in sports video games,” Chip said. “So when EA announced the return of the College Football game and the return of Teambuilder, I started getting all of the logos ready.”

EA’s College Football series, which made a grand return from an 11-year absence last year, features a “teambuilder” feature that allows players to create teams and play with them in the game. Many fans create teams from Division III schools, fictional schools and, in Chip’s case, New Mexico high schools.

“In College Football 25, I had only created the Las Cruces teams and who Mayfield High School played that season,” Chip said. “It wasn’t till the new College Football 26 game came out that I created all of the 6A teams and tried to get the majority of the big-name teams in 5A since the website to create the teams only allows 32 slots to create.”

Two of the selected few are Rio Rancho and Cleveland, with all of their uniforms and home fields, not missing any detail in authenticity.

“It goes alongside the research of finding multiple angles of jerseys, fields and helmets to try to find every detail I can, as that is my goal to separate my teams from the many others that are on the website,” Chip said. “Giving the users an experience as if EA created a High School video game.”

While EA has no plans of making a real high school football game anytime soon, Chip’s product is about the best you can get. From the black lettering on the sideline at Thunderbolt Stadium to the number decals on the side of the Rams’ helmets, it is a can’t-miss for football fanatics and sports gamers.

Chip’s designs hit the electronic field just last week and have already amassed hundreds of downloads.

“It is amazing that my designs are the top ones downloaded for New Mexico,” Chip said. “That was the ultimate goal, as I know that designs would be some of the best due to the accuracy. I am so grateful to see my talents and visions come to life and get recognized the way these teams have!”

You can look up and download Chip’s designs on the game today and take your spin at controlling the Rams or the Storm. Pin them against each other in a virtual rivalry game, recreate the real-life rosters, or create your own player to make some New Mexico football history.

You can find more information on the game designs and Chip’s work at “chip_flicks” on Instagram.