Best defensive playbooks in College Football 25

Aryan Singh
Player looking to tackle runner in CFB25

The best defensive playbooks in College Football 25 will help you keep lethal offenses at bay while offering versatility and audibles when required. Defending is noticeably tricky in EA Sports’ latest release, partly due to the adjustments made to tackling.

Using the best defensive settings in the game can only take you so far, which is why it’s ideal to use the best playbooks to contain opposition offenses. Here are the best defensive playbooks in CFB25.

Best College Football 25 defensive playbooks

4-2-5

Audibles for 4-2-5 in College Football 25
The 4-2-5 formation offers excellent balance.

The 4-2-5 is a versatile defensive formation made up of four linemen, two linebackers, and five defensive backs. The organization means you can rush using four linemen at any point to put the QB under pressure. Having five defensive backs helps contain the passing game since you’ll have ample zone coverage.

As for audible before plays, having two linebackers on the field gives you the option to blitz the offense to try and get a sack, or ask them to drop into coverage.

3-3-5 Tite

College Football 25 3-3-5 Tite
Plays with the 3-3-5 Penny offer great deep coverage.

The 3-3-5 Tite is a favorite among Madden players and it remains just as effective in College Football 25. The formation consists of three linebackers, three defensive linemen, and five defensive backs. It offers enough coverage to stop the opposition’s running game while being great for blitzing.

The 3-3-5 Penny is particularly strong if you’re looking to blitz, with a variety of plays that can force the QB to rush his pass.

Multiple

College Football 25 Multiple defensive playbook
Multiple gives you access to the 5-2, 4-3, and 3-4 formations.

If you’re a newcomer to the College Football franchise, look no further than Multiple for your defensive playbook. This option will give the most variety through different formations, plays, and blitzes that you can switch to mid-game depending on how the offense is set up.

With Multiple, you’ll have access to blitzes like LB Blitz 0 and Overload Blitz along with the 5-2 formation if you want to make sure that any drives are thwarted immediately. If you sense a passing play coming, Multiple has many deep coverage plays that could make the opposition rethink their strategy.

No matter the playbook, games on the road will be difficult. To help prepare for them, make sure your Quarterback has these abilities when playing games at hostile stadiums.