Finally, The LSU Band Will Play the Tiger Stadium Anthem ‘Neck’—But There’s One Big Catch

LSU Football fans have something big to cheer about in the upcoming EA Sports College Football 25 video game. The iconic and controversial anthem "Neck," a staple in LSU's musical tradition, will be featured in the game—but there's a significant twist.

EA Sports recently invited a group of college football reporters to their Orlando, Florida offices to preview the much-anticipated College Football 25. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with one particular detail catching the attention of LSU fans: "Neck" will be included in the game as an instrumental version. This revelation was reported by @MattBrownEP on X, formerly known as Twitter, who says he even spotted the sheet music for the song during his visit.

For those unfamiliar, "Neck" is based on "Talkin’ Out Da Side of Ya Neck,” a Dem Franchize Boyz cover of Cameo’s 1982 hit song.

Despite its popularity, the LSU band has been officially banned from playing the song at Tiger Stadium since 2010. The ban came in response to the student section's habit of chanting explicit lyrics during the song, which led to its controversial status. However, this hasn't stopped the band from occasionally playing it at games, much to the delight of fans.

The instrumental version will allow fans to enjoy the familiar tune while avoiding the explicit chants that led to its ban. EA Sports is clearly committed to capturing the authentic gameday atmosphere, even if it means sidestepping some of the more contentious elements of college football traditions.

Including "Neck" isn't the only LSU tradition making it into College Football 25. EA Sports has gone to great lengths to replicate the unique gameday experiences of various college football programs, incorporating thousands of assets from schools and recording real game crowds over the past two years. The "Win Bar," another LSU staple, was also featured in the initial reveal, showcasing EA's commitment to authenticity.

Unfortunately, not all iconic college football songs made the cut. Licensing fees prevented the inclusion of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" for Virginia Tech and House of Pain's "Jump Around" for Wisconsin. Despite these omissions, the game will still feature tons of signature music associated with programs across the country, including "Zombie Nation," "Sandstorm," "Tsunami," and "Mo Bamba."

College Football 25 is set to release on July 19, and while fans eagerly await the chance to play, the buzz surrounding the game's detailed presentation and the return of beloved traditions like "Neck" only adds to the anticipation. For LSU fans, this might be the closest they'll get to hearing "Neck" at Tiger Stadium—at least for now.