“Winning means everything”: Hexied opens up about his CF26 victory at DreamHack Atlanta and the grind behind it

In an open-registration competition, anyone could win. No one knew their opponents or the strategies they’d face on the big stage at DreamHack Atlanta 2025. But Hexied was ready to beat the odds and bring the trophy home. After three intense days of competition, the young player rose above the rest, defeating every challenger on his path to conquer the College Football 26 tournament.

At just 19 years old, Hexied has claimed victory at the DreamHack Atlanta 2025 College Football 26 tournament. Born in Buffalo, New York, and now studying at the University of Tampa, Hexied always believed in his talent, and this weekend, he proved it by bringing home the championship trophy. "My friends were coming to compete in the tournament, and they wanted me to go too. Then, on Tuesday, I decided to book a flight to Atlanta."

But this love for the game his quite fresh. "I actually didn't really play College Football. I played until Madden came out, and then I just went full-time Madden. Every day, I create content on YouTube, on Twitter. I'm trying to grow my brand and grind the game," Hexide explained. "I've been working with a guy named Civil. He's been insane to help me grow and make better content."

His routine is simple: go to school, grind, make good content, and help people out. Coming to the tournament with no expectations, Hexiede won every match by 17 or more. "Then I was going to play Dcroft, which is the reigning champion, and I actually worked with him, so it was really cool. He is really good, and I know what I was going to run. Somehow, I won."

For the young player, Dcroft was definitely the hardest challenge of the tournament. "I just knew what he was going to do. We would both be nervous. I just got to make one more play than him because that's what it's going to come down to," Hexiade explained.

For Hexied, winning at DreamHack Atlanta 2025 means everything. "I've been putting 12-plus hours a day into my personal brand through Madden, so even though it's College Football 26, which is a little bit different, the same principles apply, and it's just hard work."

But with the sweet victories always come some tough losses. "I made one off-season live event last year, and I came confident, but I never thought I would lose by 25. That really hurt. I wanted to come here and prove that I can get it done, that's all that matters."

The energy and atmosphere were phenomenal. "The stage was much bigger than I expected, and I felt a bit nervous at first, but I was playing really well. I didn't feel overwhelmed because I was in the moment. I just switched to a different gear, and it was amazing."

The passion for American football extends to the game as well. "Football is football at the end of the day. The game has its differences, with various strategies for offense and defense, but you need to understand how to cover three receivers or four. You must also be aware of the offensive concepts that can beat you and the defensive strategies designed to stop you. A genuine love for real-life football enhances your understanding of the game even more."

At the event, Hexied wore a custom-made T-shirt honoring Henry Leverette, the world’s No. 1 Madden player. The young competitor dedicated his victory to the veteran, sharing how much Leverette’s support had meant to him: “One day, we showed up in his chat, and he joined our Discord to help us out. He encouraged and supported us to get better, and he didn’t have to. He’s a millionaire, but he still takes time out of his year for us. It’s a blessing to know him and everyone else.”

If allowed to suggest changes or updates to EA Sports, Hexied has a few recommendations. "We need to eliminate the quarterback juke glitch in Madden that occurs behind the line of scrimmage. This glitch allows the quarterback to gain a speed boost and escape defenders, which isn't competitive at all. In real life, you can contain the quarterback, but this feature makes the game feel unrealistic. It needs to be patched."

"I'm on YouTube every single day," he stated. "I'm focused on being consistent because producing a high volume of content is essential for growing my brand. That commitment won't change, and I'm giving it my all right now." As a young talent on the rise, he acknowledges that there is still plenty of room for improvement and a long journey ahead.

That's all for now. Stick around for more College Football 26 news, guides, and updates on esports.gg.