There will be real football players, using their real names, in the debut of NCAA Football Ultimate Team this year. They just won't be anyone suiting up on a college football field this fall.
A deal with the NFL Players' Association gives NCAA the rights to use up to 2,500 current NFL stars, pictured in their alma maters' uniforms, and build a pool of virtual trading cards just as large as Madden Ultimate Team, where the collection-and-player-management game has been running since 2010.