Though it's consistently one of the best-selling games each year, EA Sports' NCAA Football series has long languished behind its NFL big brother, the Madden NFL series, at least in terms of public perception. So while it was no surprise that Madden debuted first on the PlayStation Portable with last year's Madden NFL 06, the college-football faithful knew it was only a matter of time before their favorite sport made its way to handhelds. Here we are a year later, and NCAA Football 07 has arrived on the PSP. Though its atmosphere and gameplay don't quite match up to the consistent level of quality found in the console versions of the series, NCAA Football 07 is still a fine debut on the PSP.

College football has finally arrived on the PSP.

From the outset, NCAA Football 07 for the PSP has many of the hallmarks found in the console versions of the game: hundreds of teams to choose from (including teams from notable years such as the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes, the 1990 Colorado Buffaloes, and all-time versions of major programs); playbooks that are nearly as unique to the schools as the teams' mascots; and a respectable, if not exactly overflowing, list of gameplay modes.

When playing on the field, NCAA Football 07 will look and feel quite familiar. Indeed, even on the PSP's smaller screen and using the handheld's modified control scheme, it won't take long for you to get the game under your fingers. The passing and running-game controls are similar to those in the PlayStation 2 version of the game, with only a few exceptions--you might find your hand inadvertently reach for the nonexistent right analog stick when trying to pull of a juke with the ball carrier, for example, when, in fact, juke moves are controlled with a combination of the left trigger and face buttons.

A few other key additions to NCAA Football 07 are significant, as well. Many of the changes have to do with special teams, including a new kick meter that is a significant improvement over the old three-button-press system found in older games. The new kicking system uses the analog stick to both aim and send the kick off, and it's a nice improvement on the old version--the variation on the mechanic for onside kicks is also well done. Instead of simply aiming your kick and giving the ball a light boot, you can now aim exactly where you like on the ball itself, giving you more control than ever on how the ball bounces when it leaves your foot.

A couple of key changes add up to a lot more effectiveness on special teams. For one, a lower perspective on the field when returning punts and kickoffs adds a much more immediate feel to this exciting play. You won't have a complete view of the field; instead, you'll be focusing on the real estate more or less right in front of you. On the other hand, the holes that do open up seem that much bigger by comparison. When playing on defense, you can switch to a closer, isometric perspective of the player you are controlling by pressing the triangle button. Combine this more immediate point of view with another new addition to the controls--a "jump-the-snap" button that lets you get a good jump off the line if you time it just right--and you can pretty effectively put some pressure on the kicker lined up 10 yards deep. We won't go so far as to say that the jump-the-snap button will guarantee that you'll get a hand up in the kicker's face, but considering how rare blocked kicks have been in the past, it's a welcome addition to the game.

It's a good idea to use the jump-the-snap option often in the game, as it's a good way to keep pressure up on the opposing quarterback, as well. Watch out that you don't use it as a crutch, however--it's easy enough to get caught if you abuse it, especially considering the artificially intelligent computer will make liberal use of a key weapon in its arsenal--the fake-snap camera, which can easily trick you into going offside by quickly pulling back the camera simulating the motion the game camera makes when the quarterback calls for the snap. What's more, the AI doesn't really abuse this "feature," instead it tries the fake snap at the most opportune moments, such as third and short, when a five-yard offside penalty would keep its drive alive. It's devilish, and very authentic, stuff.

Rivalries matter more in the college game than in practically any other sport.

That said, there are a few areas in which the PSP version of NCAA 07 falls short. The most obvious area of trouble is in the ground game, specifically when running up the middle. All too often, when plowing your running back in between the tackles, he'll get stuck behind an offensive lineman and simply choose to run in place, rather than bounce to the outside. Arguably, this can be blamed on the player controlling that runner, but nonetheless, it simply doesn't feel, or look, right. Some of the most powerful running backs in the country should be able to burst through defensive lines and create some openings for themselves; this doesn't seem to happen nearly as much in the game as it should. Furthermore, ball carriers will often simply bounce off of defenders trying to tackle them, and a guaranteed loss turns into an unlikely gain. One or two instances of players breaking away from sure tackles and turning something into nothing would be exciting; it happens enough in NCAA 07 as to be annoying. Also, spotting the ball seems to be slightly off--a three-yard gain on the ground sometimes is spotted as no gain at all.