EA Sports has announced the eight finalists for the cover of this year’s iteration of NCAA Football, and former Oregon running back Kenjon Barner is among them.
Fans are asked to vote for their favorite athlete on the video game company’s official Facebook page. The players and schools with the most “likes” will advance to the next round.
Voting closes Monday, Feb. 18, when EA Sports will announce the final four.
Here’s a list of Barner’s rivals, including the leader thus far, Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson.
|
School |
Athlete |
| Alabama | Eddie Lacy |
| Florida State | E.J. Manuel |
| Georgia | Jarvis Jones |
| Michigan | Denard Robinson |
| Notre Dame | Tyler Eifert |
| Ohio State | John Simon |
| Oregon | Kenjon Barner |
| Texas A&M | Ryan Swope |
It would be the first time an Oregon athlete appeared on the cover since NCAA Football 2003, which featured an NFL-bound Joey Harrington on the cover.
NCAA rules prohibit collegiate athletes from appearing on the cover during their enrollment as a student. Barner has already graduated from the University.
Last season, Barner ran for 1,767 yards and 21 touchdowns with a 6.4 average yards per carry. His senior season including a record-breaking performance at USC, where he rushed for 321 yards and five touchdowns.
The numbers don’t do justice to his individual highlights, however. Few Duck fans have forgotten his “force push” against Arizona State, for instance.
