Others say...

"Where's the D?"
The only reason this obviously flawed game gets ONE star is it still has a deep, versatile, and challenging dynasty mode. Mind you there are glitches there but they are minimal and microscopic in relation to the gameplay. The graphics while sleek, don't make up for the players running straight up and down like marionettes even while changing direction. To add to this there are no individual running styles. A 6-3 195 pound receiver, a 5-9 220 lb running back, and a 6-7 330 lb lineman will all have that same goofy, hitched-up gait while running. Vision is limited on defense and offense as you can't see what the recievers and corners do at the snap.

The defense is lacking any realism whatsoever. Looking for a good, old-fashioned SEC defensive struggle between Bama and Auburn? You won't find games like that here. What you will find while controlling your D is the stats for you team or the CPU don't matter. Your players will have little to zero reaction on plays. No awareness of down and distance. The linebackers at times take horrible angles to the ball carrier. You won't ever have a pass rush with your linemen due to the invisible force field the offense has. Like your matchup of a 80 rated reciever with a speed of 86 against your All-american DB? Think again, that lowly wideout w/ an awarenesss of a submoronic 50 will outjump, outrun, your man all up and down the field with no mercy. There is no call you can make the CPU doesn't make yards on, especially in 3rd and long plays. Go ahead and call an audible if you like, the CPU will have a play for that too. The individual/position player audibles seemed clunky and wooden to me also.
The cons from this game far outweigh the pros, save your money like I did this year and play someone else's.(If you like to be frustrated) Shame on EASports for peddling garbage like this to a seemingly happy public. Maybe next year if they want fans like me to buy their product again, they should put in a simulation mode to go with the arcade mode they already have installed.

"Real Bargain"
Great Gold Box price. I would have spent $20 more for this game and luckily it popped on to Amazon the day I was going to go to BB or CC and purchase. Can be played with lots of strategy or simplified with plenty of great graphics.

"Too much junk"
I have owned NCAA 09 for a couple days now and there has already been some big problems I've had with it. For one, after I scored a touchdown the announcers acted as though the opposing team had scored and then I received the ball again on a kickoff that was supposed to be for the other team. I have never had this big of a bug occur during any other football game I have played. Besides that, the gameplay seems cluncky and slow and the controls seem to be inconsistent.

Another part of gameplay that was annoying was the "updates" to certain parts of gameplay. I was playing a close game against an opponent and was about to kick a field goal to tie and for some reason the camera view for my kicker made it so I couldn't even see the goalposts. There was a help icon which I pressed but then noticed that the playclock was still running while I was trying to figure out what the hell was happening. Suffice to say I missed the darn field goal.

New updates are supposed to improve gameplay and make it more fun and this game does the opposite in several cases. I would honestly still rather play NCAA 04 when the gameplay was crisp and smooth. I think that EA could really use some competition so maybe they'll improve the gameplay instead of giving us a buggy product with frustrating "updates".

"Faulty Pass Defense destorys a franchise"
I am a longtime fan of the EA college football series. I played since the first one back on PS2. It was one of my favorite games and I've probably been through 30 years of dynasties. I was even painted up for a cameo in NCAA 07. That said, the current incarnation makes me sick to my stomach. The pass defense is beyond terrible. The defense never really does anything. They just stand there. That means that even the second string QB from 1AA Nowhere can have a 90% completion percentage on you. I improved the Virginia Tech defense over the course of three seasons to an overall rating of 99 and it didn't matter. A mediocre Cal team still carved me up for 400 passing yards and 40-some points. The game does look pretty and my beloved recruiting system is better than ever, but that doesn't overcome the helpless feeling I have everytime I'm on defense. I'd be better off going and making myself a sandwich until my offense is back on the field. Of course, when that does happen, I have to be careful, because every cpu pass defender plays like an all-american with the world's softest hands. I feel betrayed by EA. They've so monopolized the industry that they don't have to put out a quality product any more. Instead of spending all that money on those pathetic comercials, maybe they should put more money into their games.

"Better Gameplay - some of the same flaws as 08"
First, let me say I've played this games since 02. Here are some points I have not seen mentioned which are minor glitches, yet they appear every year it seems.
1. The Drive Summary is always wrong (yardage amount)
2. The Offensive Line Blocks Terrible - Your 95 OT will get beat about 5 times by a 80 DE.
3. The amount of Pick 6's are ridiculously high
4. I don't see much improvement in recruting this year. They cleaned it up, yet it is much the same as 08, as such it is a bit to tedious.

New-Good
1. The animations seems more polished and better looking.
2. Tell me why the Championship game cannot even put your Logo in the endzone???
3. The Computer is somewhat smarter on the Heisman Level
4. It is still the same game as (08) with a little better graphics and interface ... yet not that much different.