EA Sports 2027 doesn't come out till Thursday, but the player and team ratings were released earlier this week, and despite being the reigning national champions, Indiana isn't the top-rated team. So, where does IU rank in the game? And what about some of its top players like Carter Smith and Josh Hoover? What is their rating? We know that too.Indiana is not the Best Rated Team in the GameDespite winning the whole thing last year, Indiana isn't the top-rated team in the game. It lost a slew of its best players -- Fernando Mendoza, Pat Coogan, Omar Cooper Jr., D'Angelo Pond, etc. -- to the NFL Draft, and replacing them isn't going to be easy. However, IU is still highly rated with a 90 overall team ranking, which is tied with Ohio State for the second-best. And considering how much talent the Buckeyes bring back from last year's squad -- Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin, Kenyatta Jackson Jr., etc. -- IU shouldn't be upset with its rating. You know what should upset Indiana? Oregon being named the top-rated team in the game. Granted, Oregon is only one point ahead of IU and OSU with a 91 overall team ranking, but still, Oregon? Come on. The Ducks shouldn't be rated higher than fifth, yet EA Sports named them the best team in the game. I just don't get it. Who is Indiana's Top-Rated Player?This might surprise some, but the answer is left tackle Carter Smith. Smith is the highest-rated offensive lineman in the game and the second-highest player with an overall rating of 97. Carter Smith (#65) Indiana✅ 87.7 pass block grade in 2025✅ Quickness off the snap ✅ 82.9 run blocking grade in 2025✅ Technically sound player✅ Experienced player with over 2,700 snaps played entering 2026 pic.twitter.com/JJUdcXEzVC— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) June 4, 2026And this makes sense. My only concern with Smith is that he had offseason shoulder surgery, so until he plays, there's no way of telling whether or not he's fully 100%.But when you take into account how good Smith was last season -- Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, two total sacks allowed, etc. -- Smith's rating makes perfect sense. And to top it off, Smith is a projected first-round pick, which further validates his high rating.What is Josh Hoover's Rating?No matter what team you're a fan of, everyone wants to know their team's starting quarterback rating. But with Hoover transferring over from Texas Christian, who had any idea what his rating should be?But enough of all that, and back to Hoover's rating. The first-year quarterback received an overall rating of 88, which is tied for 15th best in the game. Hoover certainly put up impressive numbers at TCU -- 65.2% completion percentage, 9,629 passing yards, 71 passing touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns -- but I'm not so sure he deserves such a high rating. Don’t mind me, just watching Josh Hoover highlights to get ready for my day pic.twitter.com/wMToplNcft— William Cockerill (@walkonmoose) December 19, 2025Not only did he throw career-high 13 interceptions last year, but he also played in a conference (Big 12) that isn't as good as the Big Ten. So, not only did he struggle at times last season with turning the ball over, but he's also facing much better competition this year. That's why I think a rating of 86 would have made more sense. However, his supporting cast should be much better this year at IU, which might have played a role in his 88 overall rating. Where Does Memorial Stadium Rank Amongst the "Toughest Places to Play"?Memorial Stadium was rated the 15th "toughest place to play" in the game, and that's simply way too high for me.Curt Cignetti has yet to lose a home game as IU's head coach. It's not like he needed more to motivate his team.The team makes a stadium tough to play in. Playing in Bloomington will be nasty again this year, because Indiana will be amazing again.The video game is still a video game. Real life will show how tough it really is to go to Bloomington.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow