Okay, so I was digging into NCAA Football 26 last weekend, trying to figure out why certain schools just crush it year after year in recruiting. You know – Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, those monsters. Everyone says it’s their pipelines, but how does it actually work in the game?
First Move: Pickin’ the Little Guy
I started a new dynasty with Mid Tenn State on hard difficulty. Tried recruitin’ like I was Bama right away – throwing offers at 5-star dudes left and right. Got absolutely nowhere. Like, crickets. One kid actually replied, “Not interested,” and I swear I heard him laughing through the screen. Learned real quick: if you ain’t got prestige or recent wins, forget about landing the big fish.
The Grind Phase
Switched gears hard. Focused on Tennessee kids only – mostly 2 and 3-stars. Scouted every single one personally (took forever, ugh). Offered playing time guarantees to anyone with decent speed. Sent my coaches to their high schools every dang week. Even took recruits to see our… uh… very modest locker room.
The wins started piling up against weaker teams. We went 9-4, won some dinky bowl game. Suddenly, that 3-star QB from Memphis said yes. Then his buddy, a 3-star linebacker. Next season, I noticed somethin’ wild – kids from Georgia started showing interest without me even scouting ’em. The game literally popped up notifications: “Recruit from Atlanta has Pipeline Interest.” Pipeline was formin’!
Why the Big Dogs Stay Big
I restarted as Georgia to test their setup. It’s stupid easy. First thing? Their pipeline states – Georgia, Florida, Texas – are loaded with blue-chippers. Didn’t even need to scout much. Sent one offer to a 5-star DT in-state? Boom, committed week 2. Why? ’Cause the game gives ’em massive bonuses: less time to recruit, higher interest automatically, even cheaper “NIL” points (whatever that is in-game).
- Pipeline states = free momentum
- High prestige = recruits listen day one
- Winning seasons = pipeline states spread like gossip
Finished a 12-1 season with UGA, landed top 3 class. Barely broke a sweat. Meanwhile, with Mid Tenn? Took three seasons just to get a pipeline into Alabama. Had to overpay for facilities, spam promises, and pray for upsets.
The Ugly Truth
Here’s why it ain’t fair: the rich keep gettin’ richer because the game’s built that way. Pipelines lock in geography. Win enough? Pipeline expands. But start small? You’re clawing up a cliff. Saw it plain as day – if your school ain’t already famous, you gotta grind every inch. The Alabamas? They start on third base while you’re buntin’ for a single.
Anyway. That’s my dynasty headache. Might boot up another save later… maybe Ohio State this time. See how deep that Ohio pipeline really goes.
