Despite the onset of some troubled economic times, EA will still be spending big at this year's Super Bowl. Part of those festivities will be the 15th Madden Bowl. So who's playing?

Seven current NFL players will be picking up the controllers and vying for digital bragging rights, including a player each from the competing Super Bowl teams and, for the first time, college players.

USC's Mark Sanchez and Georgia's Matthew Stanford will play first, and the winner of their stoush will take their place among the final eight participants.

The seven NFL players are:

Antonio Bryant – WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Edgerrin James – RB, Arizona Cardinals

Maurice Jones-Drew – RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Willie Parker – RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Justin Tuck – DE, New York Giants

DeMarcus Ware – LB, Dallas Cowboys

With the seventh "yet to be determined". While for some extra marketing muscle, EA will also be flying in the following players from the NFL and...MLB.

Derrick Brooks – LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Marshall Faulk – RB, St. Louis Rams & Indianapolis Colts (retired 2006)

Antonio Gates – TE, San Diego Chargers

Tony Gonzalez – TE, Kansas City Chiefs

Steven Jackson – RB, St. Louis Rams

Chad Johnson – WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Darren McFadden – RB, Oakland Raiders

Willis McGahee – RB, Baltimore Ravens (last year's champ)

Terrell Owens – WR, Dallas Cowboys

Reggie Wayne – WR, Indianapolis Colts

Roddy White – WR, Atlanta Falcons

Evan Longoria – 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

If you're wondering which system they're playing on, Microsoft are sponsoring the event, so it's 360-only.

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