Face of the Franchise was a brand new game mode for Madden 20. It lets you step into the College Football Playoff as a QB, and hopefully guide them to being a number one overall pick.
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The storyline takes on a former high profile recruit who spent four years on the bench after another QB transferred to his school. Your QB is forced to start the College Football Playoff semi-final, when no one believes in you. Your performance in the CFP and subsequent decisions will mold your player into a draft prospect.
The aim of the mode is to go number one
overall, so what do you need to do to do that?
Here is the journey to number one overall I took with Joe Burreaux.
Part one – Creating your player
GEAUX TIGERS: You get the choice of eight college teams
After deciding your player's appearance and choosing your school, you are given the opportunity to choose what type of QB you are, and the type of personality you have.
In terms of your potential draft position, these decisions don’t have much of an impact. Whatever you pick can lead to being a number one overall pick. This is more about you having the player you want.
There are four options for each and will only decide the ratings your player has throughout the CFP and into the NFL.
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For Burreaux, I selected the improviser archetype for decent mobility and passing, and the team player personality type.
Part two – College Football
ONE DOWN: You have to win the semi-final before you do anything else
Once you have created your player, named them, and chosen your style of QB you get to make decisions that change your draft stock.
The first real decision you have to make is whether you agree with the coach to simplify the playbook for the semi-final, or if you agree with Isiah Street – your number one receiver – to use the whole playbook.
With Burreaux I agreed with Streets.
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FWIW, I have agreed with the coach and
still gone first overall.
The rest of your decisions in this segment
are inconsequential, and simply add some fun story telling.
NATTY: Can guide your team to the top of the college world?
What is important in this section, however,
is you need to win the National Championship. I played well in both games,
throwing at least four touchdowns in both games, but as long as you win you are
in position to be the first overall pick.
Part three – The Scouting Combine
Just like in real life, your performance
here can make or break the whole story.
This section includes interviews with
teams, media questions, and of course a physical workout.
SCRUTINY: Can you hold up to the NFL media?
The first interview is with the Giants. I
answered that ‘I’m committed’, which boosts your ‘Leader’ personality. To the
second question, about your leadership, I answered ‘I’ve grown’.
The second interview is with the Miami Dolphins, who ask you to hand over your phone. It is a weird interview scene, but I chose to give them my phone, which boosted my ‘Team Player’ personality.
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The third interview is with the Redskins,
who ask you an obscure question about where you would sit on a bus travelling
fast in Alaska. I answered ‘Front of the Bus’.
PINPOINT: You have to be on the money to be the first overall pick
Up next is the part of the Combine that
really matters: the workout. For the workout you need to complete at least 22
of the 24 passes into the required zone to go number one overall. I completed 22
of 24.
The final stage of the Combine is an
interview with the media. The first question is about playing for the Giants, I
answered ‘I’d be lucky’. The second regards your strengths, I chose ‘calm under
pressure’, and the final question is about critics, I chose ‘I don’t listen to
them’.
Part four – The draft
THE CALL: The phone vibrating will send shivers down your spine
After the Combine, I got to the cut scene
on a plane where you’re invited to the NFL Draft in Nashville.
Just like that, after a cut scene with your
agent entering the draft, you get a phone call – mine was from the Broncos,
though I’ve previously been drafted number one overall by the Raiders – and you
are the number one overall pick in the draft.
Although there are a few interactions
throughout your next season, that is pretty much the end of the FotF journey.
BRONCO: The number one looks great
To recap, this were my choices:
Improvisor – Team Player – Agree with Isiah
– Win semi final – Purple – Yes – Win National Championship – I’m committed – I’ve
grown – Give my phone – Front of Bus – 22/24 passing – I’d be lucky – Calm under
pressure – I don’t listen to them.
Though I haven’t been through and chosen each different option, I think you can be the number one overall pick as long as you win the National Championship and pass for at least 22 completions at the Combine.