I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore college football fan. There, I said it. That's not to say I don't enjoy it when I do catch it, like going to check out a CSU Rams game as they pound on Wyoming or checking out the CU/CSU classic at Invesco Field that recently ended with a melee thanks to unwatched beer sales. I just don't get into it like others do. Unfortunately, this rubs off on my gaming experience as well. When it comes to football, I usually settle myself on something NFL-related, like ESPN NFL 2K5 or even the likes of more arcade-style efforts, such as NFL Street or an old NFL Blitz run.

So, needless to say, I approached NCAA Football 06 with caution. I played last year's edition for the Xbox and, while it was a good offering, I just didn't stick with it too long. It must've been something in my mentality or maybe it was the fact I didn't really have that much fun with it. What I do know is that the game has a great element of surprise. I picked this game up on a Saturday morning and began my Race For the Heisman, and the next thing I knew it was 1 AM and I had completely emptied a six-pack headlong into my sophomore season.

I sat back in awe. "Whoa!", I said, pulling off my best Keanu Reeves impression without even knowing it. A college football product which I normally wouldn't have given the time of day, had drawn me in and KEPT me in, an impressive feat in its own right. NCAA Football 06 is supremely stacked compared to previous editions, and if a game like this can keep a skeptic at bay for that period of time, imagine what it can do for the hardcore fans.

The main thing that NCAA has going for it is its overabundance of modes. This thing is more highly stacked than a pile of pancakes for the Oakland Raiders at an IHOP. First, there's Race For the Heisman, a mode in itself that redefines this year's edition over any previous entries. This mode kicks right off as you put the game in the system, allowing you to build a high school grad and begin making your marks for collegiate legacy. You'll run drills, pick a position, and begin building yourself for that position, and eventually get offers from schools that may or may not be to your liking. There are hundreds of schools in here, which is just staggering. I looked under Colorado and counted over 20 universities.

Following the typical drills, you enter into a Dorm Room, which saves your progress, notifies you how much hype you're building, and even gives you a virtual girlfriend photo to remind you that you've got a lot to fight for. It's a bit of a variation of the old Skybox feature from the ESPN games, but it's still got a homey touch to it and allows you to keep things in check. Following a run in your freshman year, you move up through sophomore, junior, and eventually senior, and after that, you have the opportunity to even port your fully built college hero into an NFL draft in the forthcoming Madden NFL 06. That floored me, even if Madden is far from my favorite NFL game. It shows that EA Tiburon has put some work into their exclusively acquired NCAA license and haven't just passed off last year's edition with mild rehashes.

But we're not done. There's also a heavy Recruiting mode that follows your choices for your team, putting you in the Coach's shoes and allowing you to work recruits through drills and attending games, trying to garner interest and keep your players happy. Recruiting's not quite my cup of beer (I'm an action man myself), but this is a good touch for those who take such detail to heart. Following this is Dynasty Mode, where, once again, you're a coach trying to build your ultimate team in an effort to win a national championship. This isn't really changed from last year, but it remains rock solid and gives players an idea as to what a coach has to get done to build a foundation that won't crumble under the pressure of blue chips and a pending NFL draft.

That brings us to the game's online play, which has been cleaned up significantly. Xbox Live support continues to be off the hook, with a lobby and match-up system that works better this time around. Gameplay is mostly smooth, with only the occasional hiccup. You can also run a few drills online and even keep an eye on live scoreboards, which really embraces you into the collegiate world instead of just saying "Yo, play me online". It adds personality, and that hooked me as well.

Let's talk about the gameplay for a minute. With previous editions, I just really didn't get the idea of the gameplay in my head. Sure, it was a solid engine of passing and receiving, running plays, and the occasional defensive breakaway that could either result in an interception or a fumble, but to me something didn't feel original. Maybe it was the fact it was too close to Madden, I'm not quite sure. This year's edition feels a bit better, thanks to the inclusion of a new Impact player system. This works with indication meters surrounding some players, setting themselves up for big plays. If you don't pay too much attention to this, you could run the risk of some dropped passes or even some sacks. (My roommate went through this a few times before eventually getting the hang of it.) However, I found it easy to get into and the system works well, although it may confuse some who are just trying to find the open man or that gap that will allow them to run down the field for a thrilling touchdown. I liked the little "flashing" meter that shows when players are pumped up to complete the play, although that may be a bit too easy for some. I'm sure there are those of you who find joy in creating their own masterful plays without getting a push. Oh, well, it's there if you need it, and it's cool.

I dig the Hit stick. This is when you use the right analog stick for additional moves during a play, mostly jukes when you're avoiding a few tackles in your run for yardage. It mixes with the already responsive controls thrown into the game to add a personal touch, and when working in conjunction with the aforementioned Impact, it really involves you. Maybe this was what converted me all along, the way so many things came together and yet remained on the main page without running off like Terrell Owens.

As far as graphics, they too have seen vast improvements. The animation seems a lot more focused this time around, mainly when it comes to seeing a player celebrate in the end zone or when a tackle is pulled off just right, awkwardly sending a player with the ball backward tumbling to the ground. The detail in the stadiums is also impressive, thanks to realistic-looking crowds (no cardboard cutouts here) and little touches, like dancing mascots and individual banners and designs for each specified team. The presentation screens are easy enough to navigate, and even the drills have a simplistic but neat-looking touch to them. Kudos to EA Tiburon for their focus in this department, to push the best out of the Xbox as its final years dwindle down.

The game also features customization that allows you to build a good player from scratch, right at the beginning of the game. I don't see someone taking incredible time with this unless they're really into making a full-time player do work for them in both NCAA and Madden, but I suppose it's nice to have.

Then we come to the sound. This department features lots of shine through its speakers but also runs into the game's big nagging problem that keeps it from sheer perfection. The music within the game is perfectly themed with the college football attitude, and particular fight/cheer songs are all over the place, adding more to the game's ideal self. Crowd noise is good, although giving the player the option to pump this crowd up with small movements is awesome. This is where some of the best chants come into play.

Then we come to the commentary, provided by Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, and Brad Nessler. This three-man team works pretty well together, and some of their comments can be funny at times. But therein lies the rub, as the commentary grows repetitive just a bit too soon. It won't be long before you hear Corso or Nessler fire off a comment you swore you heard a little bit ago, and it can be a little taxing on the nerves. Ahh, if only EA had shifted gears with this department like they did with so many others, we'd have the defining college gaming experience. It's this flaw that snaps the game back, and has you feeling like you're listening to Grandpa tell his "fish hook in the finger" story too many times.

If you look past this glaring flaw, however, and at the package in itself, you'll be amazed and maybe even floored by what you find. NCAA Football 06 brushes off the flaws of the past and represents college football gaming as it absolutely should have been, a blazing experience that jam packs itself with crushing modes, stellar gameplay, and a visual experience that is quite simply the best the Xbox can get at this point. And any game that has me, a former non-enthusiast, going from an attitude that consists of "meh, it's another NCAA Football product" to "Go Buffaloes!" deserves undivided attention. I can't even dream of what kind of smile-inducing madness it'll slap upon the faces of true fans.