CLICK ON BRACKET TO EXPAND.Earlier this summer, we updated our , and everyone who read it agreed with the fact-based conclusions 100 percent.As you might know, many colleges also field football teams -- the best players from which go on to the aforementioned NFL. So, with the season's kickoff drawing ever closer, it's high time we tackle the best trios of student-athletes, school by school, who are currently employed as pro football players.Yes, like an expanded version of the CFB's fancy new bracket tournament, we've pooled all the NFL rosters to come up with the 32 best trios by university. The standards remain the same: One quarterback, one running back and one pa s catcher, with more weight/credit placed on the QB than the other two spots. All players must be on active rosters -- and, for the sake of their destinies here, all are preferably good at football.My esteemed NFL Media colleagues and I will be casting our votes to determine which teams advance. Have an opinion on who should go on and who should go home? Let us know.-- Dave DameshekNo. 1 Cal defeats No. 8 Florida -- 16-0, and VS., and Cal. Wait, this is seriously a "competition"? ... and it certainly won't lose to Tebow. Cal. Smile, Mike Ariel Jurado Jersey Silver -- this is a blowout. Cal. Cal has way too much firepower in Lynch and Jackson -- and way too good a quarterback in Rodgers -- for the Gators. Cal. The ' triplets might be the best collection of talent in this bracket. They easily roll past the Gators in this one. Cal. Comprehensive bloodbath in the making. Cal. Over the past two seasons, the Cal triarchy combined for 74 more games and 105 more touchdowns (!) than the Florida boys. Cinderella isn't dancing past pregame. Cal. Accuracy, Thump and Dash. Cal wins. Cal. Percy is the only Gator in the same ballpark as his Cal counterpart ... unfortunately for Florida (and the Vikes, , and now ), Harvin spends more of his time at the ballpark in street clothes than a football uniform. Cal. Not even would pick Florida to win this matchup. Cal. It's ! This isn't a fair fight. Gimme Cal. Cal. Not much thought had to go into this pick. All three Cal players are better than the Florida trio. Cal. Is this a serious question? Florida loses, . Cal. Cal gets the edge here at all three positions. Cal. Wow. Sometimes it's difficult to imagine how much NFL talent has come out of Cal over the years, not to mention NFL Media's Mike Silver. What is in the water there? I'm taking Cal in a landslide. Rodgers is the best player on Earth right now. Cal. No comparison; it's Cal by a huge margin. Cal. could win this one all by himself.No. 4 Utah defeats No. 5 Clemson -- 13-3, and VS., and Utah. provides the steady hand; provides the heavy hand. Clemson. Love the speed for Clemson. The Tigers pull off the upset. Utah. Two Smiths are better than one Spiller and one Watkins. Utah. Smith sheds his game manager label to take advantage of 's talents on the perimeter. Clemson has enough talent to compete, but Whitehurst can't deliver when it counts in the tournament. Utah. Neither team feels special, but ? Please. Utah. I can't believe in a team with at quarterback. Not even can save him. leans on to run, block and catch pa ses -- might even score a touchdown, too. Utah. The run game goes to Clemson, but Angry finds a way. Utah. A four-seed for the Smith brothers (one of whom will be wearing a gold jacket one day)! This might give Steve a chip on his shoulder. Clemson. Clipboard Jesus saves! Clemson scores the minor upset here. Spiller and Watkins are bad men. Utah.'s still underrated. still has it. Gimme Utah. Utah. The QB matchup here gives the nod to Utah. Utah. Give the Utes the advantage, with throwing 10 pa ses to (but no TDs of course) while Whitehurst pa ses the clipboard five times to Watkins. Utah. Five years from now, Watkins could give Clemson the edge; today, it's Utah. Clemson. An intriguing matchup, though without Urban Meyer coaching Utah, I'm tempted to bet on the old wild card, , and a platoon of very talented skill-position players. Utah. The Smiths give the Utes the edge. Utah. The law firm of Smith & Smith provide the edge here.No. 3 Texas A&M defeats No. 6 West Virginia -- 15-1, and VS., and Texas A&M. It's a QB thing. Texas A&M. Tannehill to Evans ... tough to stop. Texas A&M. Evans -- who redshirted during Tannehill's last year with the Aggies -- makes good on his chance to work with the ascendant QB. Texas A&M. The Tannehill-to-Evans connection could emerge as the most dangerous pairing in the tournament. Evans is too big and fast for most defenders, which is critical in games where big plays are often the deciding factor. Texas A&M. I trust Tannehill more than Geno, and Evans is a future star. Texas A&M. never reaches his potential with 's erratic play. The run? isn't fooling anyone (except maybe the Bucs' coaching staff). Texas A&M.'s movement provides time for the winning jump-ball throw to . Texas A&M. This one comes down to the QB, and just as it'll be in 2015 AFC East, Tannehill wins. Texas A&M. The Aggies handle busine s here, but will haunt them down the road. Texas A&M. I think is trending up, and is a beast. Texas A&M. You have to give this one to A&M based on Tannehill's career versus Smith's; though to be fair, the latter outdueled the former in their most recent head-to-head. Texas A&M. Tannehill to Evans feels a whole lot better than Geno to anybody. Texas A&M. Michael is one of the more underrated backup RBs in the NFL. West Virginia. As will tell you, is once again. Texas A&M. Tannehill and Evans boost the Aggies. Texas A&M. Far too many unknowns on the Mountaineer side.No. 2 Stanford defeats No. 7 Oregon -- 16-0, and VS., and Stanford. Clearly, I'm buttering up the Cardinal for its inevitable dismantling by its superior archrival. Stanford. Luck can handle the pa sing and the running. Stanford. Luck practically overpowers the Oregon trio by himself. Stanford. The explosive balance of the Cardinal will challenge opponents in this bracket. Luck has the luxury of targeting Baldwin on vertical throws or pounding opponents with Gerhart between the tackles. Stanford. Not much around him, but Luck is a fireball. Stanford. Is Chip Kelly the head coach? Actually, never mind. Even if pa ses until his arm falls off, he'll hit more times than and connect. Stanford. is underrated in his ability to make winning plays. Stanford. The Cardinal has the edge at QB and WR ... at least until Mariota and Huff do something in the NFL. Stanford. I was curious what Stewart was going to do after "The Daily Show." I gue s the answer is lose in the first round of a fake tournament. Stanford. Two words: . Stanford. Have to go with Luck versus the rookie. Stanford. Luck would turn around, not hand it to Gerhart, and throw it to Baldwin. Stanford wins. Baldwin complains he's underrated. Stanford. With the best young quarterback in the NFL, Stanford's the easy pick here. Stanford.Oh what did you say? ? Yeah, this conversation is over. Gimme Stanford. Stanford. The Cardinal. And it isn't close. Stanford. It's good to be Lucky. It's better to have Luck.No. 1 Tenne see defeats No. 8 Arkansas -- 16-0, and VS., and Tenne see. If Peyton loses this one, does John Fox get fired all over again? Tenne see. McFadden doesn't finish the game. Tenne see. The Vols have the decided advantage in combined appearances, 28-0. Tenne see. I love the veteran trio the Vols trot out in this tournament. It's hard to beat the combination of a pinpoint pa ser, a dynamic runner and a big-bodied playmaker over the middle. Tenne see. 55-3. Tenne see. spends the second half crocheting a playbook. Jose Trevino Jersey Tenne see. is played often in this matchup. Tenne see. A QB showdown between two guys who may or may not ever start a game for the : I'll take the guy who's joined in the backfield by Foster, the ' best (offensive) player. Tenne see. The Vols are my early favorite to take it all. They stomp all over 's backup and company. Tenne see. Arkansas is going to have to forfeit. Tenne see. over : Do I need to say anymore? Fire the athletic director on this one! Tenne see. Geez, that Tenne see triumvirate is pretty doggone good. The only guy who gets hurt more than Foster is McFadden, so there's that. Tenne see. The Vols win in a rout at every position. Tenne see. Part of me would almost rather McFadden play quarterback in this group. Manning and Witten are first-ballot rs. Tenne see. The Vols, easily. Tenne see. A r and two Hall of Very Gooders put Rocky Top on top.No. 5 Florida State defeats No. 4 Vanderbilt -- 10-6, and VS., and Florida State. Two QBs with tons of unfulfilled NFL potential -- only one of them has yet to play an NFL game ... I'll take HIM. Florida State. Winston to Benjamin for the win ... again. Vanderbilt. Cutler and Matthews should work well together. Florida State. The Seminoles' young crew lacks a lot of experience, but talent reigns supreme in big games. The Winston-Benjamin connection produced a BCS title; it leads to a sustained run in this tournament. Florida State. I'll go with the quarterback who hasn't started an NFL game over Cutler. Florida State. Both backs make me grimace. I'll take my chances with over , as long as mixes in . Florida State. This is a rout for Florida State. Florida State. Jameis > Jay. (Sometimes the devil you know isn't the better choice.) Florida State. That's a saucy Seminoles troika. will cause internal drama for Vanderbilt, leading to a lo s. Florida State. This is a very tough one, but give me FSU in a mild upset because of . Vanderbilt. Close call here, but I'm going with the vet Cutler over the rookie Winston. Both are inconsistent, though. Florida State. Going FSU on upside. We've probably seen the best days from Cutler and Stacy. might ask to transfer. Vanderbilt. Did I just say that? Let Winston prove something first. Vanderbilt. Interesting -- but underwhelming -- matchup. Having never seen Winston in a pro uniform, I'll put my blind faith in Cutler. Vanderbilt. FSU's players are either rookies or second-year guys. Vanderbilt. One day, this FSU group could prevail. Today isn't that day.No. 3 LSU defeats No. 6 Louisville -- 12-4, and VS., and Louisville. I'm on #teamteddy. This kid is better than the general public realizes. Louisville. Teddy ... Teddy ... Teddy. LSU. Hill and Beckham have the makings of a scoring machine. LSU. LSU's skill players are downright scary to defend on the perimeter. Hill punishes the Cards between the tackles, setting OBJ up for a few big plays on play-action pa ses. LSU. How did Mettenberger not win a title with all that talent around him? LSU.I like better than the but rushed for almost three times as many yards in nine games as has in his career. Plus the Madden cover boy. Louisville. Bridgewater's poise and connection with overcomes LSU's power and flash plays. LSU. Would love to take Teddy here ... but Beckham and Hill salvage the Bayou's honor. LSU. will not lose in the first round. Even if is involved. LSU. Odell gives LSU the win. Louisville. Bridgewater has been more consistent than Mettenberger as a pro. LSU. As much as scares defensive coordinators acro s the planet, feel more than a wee bit comfortable going with Hill and OBJ. LSU. LSU takes it. Hill and Beckham are stars in the making. LSU.Surprised isn't listed at all three positions here. Either way, Geaux Tigers. LSU. But check back at end of season. LSU. Bridgewater makes it interesting. Hill and Beckham put the Tigers over the top.No. 2 USC defeats No. 7 Oklahoma State -- 15-1, and VS., and USC. This one could go either way, but after hearing for the 237th time, Dez will finally snap. USC. HUGE mismatch at QB -- advantage Trojans. USC. Bryant can't make up for the edge provided by Palmer, Bush and Agholor -- the latter of whom I like a lot. USC. The Trojans' trio has the look of a championship squad, but Palmer needs to shake off the rust to take advantage of Bush and Agholor on the perimeter. USC. Subtext: Dallas is doomed if Romo goes down. USC. They beat the Pokes with Palmer's new and improved ACL. catches nothing, throws temper tantrum. USC. makes the young WR better and overcomes 's will to win USC. Apologies to Dez, but the trio of former/current just can't keep up. USC. Bet thinks about college all the time. "I ruled that school, man." That nostalgia will power USC to victory. USC. Dez gave me consideration for the upset, but Palmer is healthy and Agholor can win Rookie of the Year. USC. Palmer is the clear choice at QB here and thus why I'm going with the Trojans. USC. Would do anything not to go USC here, but ? ?! Don't kid yourself. Dez makes it close. USC. Trojans trump here with a vast disparity at quarterback. USC. Ah, to see Bush in red and Asdrubal Cabrera Jersey yellow again. Bryant is a monster, but USC is stacked. Oklahoma State. Basically, this is Palmer versus Bryant -- so, Oklahoma State. USC. The two Heisman winners (ahem!) are good enough for a win here.No. 1 Georgia defeats No. 8 South Carolina -- 16-0, and VS., and Georgia. If things break the way I think they could this season, the Dawgs' lineup features three dudes who'll play in next January's . Georgia. The Bulldogs can win this whole thing. Georgia. and look like a dominant duo. Georgia. The Bulldogs' crew is dangerously explosive on the perimeter. Green is a dominant force as a WR and Gurley could be a special player -- if healthy. Georgia. This matchup is ridiculous. Georgia. UH-OH! Lots of SEC heat here! (Not really.) Georgia channels and wins by 42. Georgia. Big plays from the backfield and perimeter carry the Bulldogs. Georgia. Blowout for the Dawgs. Georgia. must be furious with his college. Georgia in a rout. Georgia. South Carolina lost this on alone. Georgia. This will be a dangerous trio that could go far in the tournament. Georgia. Gurley could play on one leg and this would be a butt-kicking. Georgia. Bulldogs in a runaway, with three top-10 picks who have or will produce. Georgia. Stafford, Gurley and Green have what it takes to go all the way in this tournament. Who is slowing that train down? Georgia. Stafford and Green give the Bulldogs some bite. Georgia. Stafford and Green team up for another SEC win.No. 4 Pittsburgh defeats No. 5 Ole Mi s -- 10-6, and VS., and Pittsburgh. Two elite offensive players and an untested quarterback? I'll take my chances. Pittsburgh. McCoy barely edges Manning to win this one. Ole Mi s. McCoy and Fitzgerald are a fearsome pair, but Eli pulls off the upset. Pittsburgh. The ' skill guys are superior, but questions about Savage's inexperience could wreck their playoff hopes. The sneak through Round 1, but a long run could hinge on Savage's play. Ole Mi s. I'm still not convinced is a real person. Pittsburgh. You might be thinking, "How can you not believe in a -led team and then back an offense lead by ?" This sounds like a Rex Ryan team. I like Rex. I want his team to win. Pitt's weapons are better -- whatever has lost, makes up for it. Pittsburgh. Pitt wins in a bit of an upset. McCoy's versatility and Fitzgerald's profe sionalism carry the day. Ole Mi s. As much as I'd like to take my hometown school, the dropoff from Eli to Savage is larger than Shady to McCluster. Ole Mi s. Bad job by Pitt. You have Shady and Fitz and the best you can do is ?!? Eli does well in tournaments. Ole Mi s. Upset special! Count the championship rings from Ole Mi s! Pittsburgh. The ' advantages at RB and WR are too much for Eli to overcome. Pittsburgh. Give me some ! (Or ... McCoy and Fitzgerald > McCluster and Wallace.) Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh carries a big advantage at two of three positions. Ole Mi s.Pittsburgh has a slightly better lineup, but Manning gives Ole Mi s the edge where it counts: at QB. Pittsburgh. McCoy-Fitzgerald trumps Manning-Wallace. Pittsburgh. Shady and Fitz are just enough to give the a slight edge.No. 6 Arizona defeats No. 3 Auburn -- 9-7, and VS., and Arizona. Gronk all day, every day. Arizona. Don't agree with this seeding ... Jeff Mathis Jersey Arizona wins convincingly. Auburn. Gronk is a monster, but Newton can't be stopped. Auburn. The Tigers could roll through this tourney if Gus Malzahn is at the controls. and form a dangerous combo as zone-read specialists on the perimeter. Auburn. Gronk is a beast, but the Cam-Mason combo is dangerous. Arizona. UPSET ALERT Yeah, yeah, yeah, has his big-bodied receiver and 's 4.27 YPC. Give me 2013 with Gronk in a pa s-heavy offense. Ka'Deem will ride their coattails. Arizona. Gronk makes big plays for the Wildcats. Auburn. Cam and Gronk are the X-factors, and I'll go with the QB. Auburn. > . This carries the day. Arizona. Gronk is the best tight end in football. Foles is going to shine in St. Louis. 'Zona in an upset. Arizona. Both QBs can be inconsistent, but Gronkowski will be unstoppable. Arizona. This is a close matchup. ... Going with Foles to Gronk for the win. Gronk then proceeds to do a keg stand with Foles looking on expre sionle s. Auburn. As good as Gronk is, Auburn takes this matchup with high expectations for Coates. Auburn. Love this Auburn combination and could only imagine the terror on everyone's faces if the trio showed up at a flag football 3-on-3. Arizona. Newton and Gronk cancel each other out, so Foles is the decider. Arizona. Gronk carries the day. Foles does enough to pull the upset.No. 2 Oklahoma defeats No. 7 Texas -- 16-0, and VS., and Oklahoma. Kindly hand the ball to AD, get out of the way and let the Red River flow north to south. Oklahoma. Great RB battle, but the Sooners have the edge at the other two spots. Oklahoma. In a dream running back matchup, No. 28 takes the cake. Oklahoma. The Sooners would lean on Peterson to sneak past the Longhorns in a rivalry game. Bradford's accuracy and football IQ make the difference in this hard-hitting affair. Oklahoma. I'm going with the best player on the field in AP. Oklahoma. As much as I love , Oklahoma's ceiling is a gothic-style cathedral (gargoyles included), while Texas' is my one-story apartment. Oklahoma. Boomer Sooner. Best RB in football explodes, and likes playing in big games. Oklahoma. A two-seed for Bradford, Stills and a guy who's barely played since '13? Sure, the Sooners win here, but ... Oklahoma. I'm operating under the impre sion that Bradford's knees work and will not explode at any point. If so, AP can do the rest. Another favorite. Oklahoma. for the win! Oklahoma. can't get hurt in this exercise, can he? Oklahoma. Fun matchup, but I'm taking the Sooner trio. Peterson and Charles are much closer in quality than people will tell you, though. Oklahoma. On the field, this matchup is known as the Red River Rivalry; here, it belongs to OU. Oklahoma.Chip Kelly likes , so I like . He must know something, right? Oklahoma. Sooners, easily. Oklahoma. Peterson dominates this edition of the Red River Rivalry.No. 1 Wisconsin defeats No. 8 Notre Dame -- 14-2, and VS., and Wisconsin. The Badgers are crestfallen when they discover that bandwagon hoops fan is ineligible to play for Bucky. Wisconsin. I'm not buying on offense, but Wilson gets the W in this matchup. Wisconsin. Wilson and Watt -- who mi sed each other by one year at Madison -- win this one with ease. Wisconsin. The Badgers will need to deviate from the regimented approach to maximize the talents of Wilson, Gordon and Watt. It would take some trickery and deception to escape with the win, but Wilson and Watt's leadership makes the difference in the end. Wisconsin. The Badgers might not be stopped in this fake exercise. Wisconsin. Even St. Patrick thinks Wisconsin. Plus, on offense might be as good as (or better than?) Wilson's past receivers. Wisconsin. Wisconsin because doesn't lose often, and can do everything. Wisconsin. Watt seems gimmicky at first blush, but after last year, do you really doubt his ability to make it as a tight end? Notre Dame. Disappointing trio for the Fighting Irish, but I take them over Wisconsin on general principle -- because shouldn't be a part of this exercise. Wisconsin. I thought Notre Dame cancelled football ... Wisconsin. and are the difference here. ? Where is Al Toon when you need him? Wisconsin. The Badgers in a landslide. Wisconsin. With two of the NFL's truly elite players, Wisconsin makes this one easy. Notre Dame. Clausen is on the rise! Wilson, sensing a contract impa se, slips a bit! Notre Dame in a wild upset. Wisconsin. Wilson and Watt give Wisconsin a big advantage. Wisconsin. likely logs a sack and catches a Wilson TD pa s here.No. 5 Central Florida defeats No. 4 Fresno State -- 9-7, and VS., and Central Florida. All six names are intriguing talents, but only one is an actual star at the current time: . Central Florida. This is the closest game in Round 1. Flip a coin. Fresno State. This is a great matchup, but I have to give the narrow edge to Carr and Co. Central Florida. This is a close one, but the presence of a WR tilts the game in the Knights' favor. Bortles is an unfinished product, but Marshall's exceptional skills can mask the young quarterback's deficiencies. Central Florida. Tight matchup. I like Bortles a little bit more than Carr. Fresno State. After 's 61 total catches last season, I'm worried about the guy. can produce more with and the burst from . Central Florida. Bortles to Marshall breaks down defenses. Fresno State. By the narrowest margin of all the first-round matchups, the Bulldogs sneak past and company. Central Florida. Lot of potential for both these teams. This is the game that ends 38-35 in overtime. Give me UCF. Fresno State. This is the toughest one. swings it in favor of Fresno State. Fresno State. has a clear edge over in this matchup. makes it a close call, though. Central Florida. Amazing the talent Central Florida has produced, eh? This is a good matchup until leaves in the second quarter. Central Florida. Marshall is the most proven of the six, and Bortles flashed at times as a rookie. Central Florida. Bortles was money in college and would be fun to pair with Marshall. All hail the Knights! Fresno State. The RB is the difference. Fresno State. Best first-round matchup. Bulldog depth wins the day.No. 3 Michigan defeats No. 6 Michigan State -- 15-1, and VS., and Michigan. I like watching play football a lot more than I like watching him walk into NFL headquarters for an appeal hearing. Michigan. Brady beats his former backup -- by a lot. Michigan. Bell is a stud, but the presence of Brady squelches any potential for an upset. Michigan. The knowledge and experience of a four-time winner makes the Wolverines the pick in this contest. Brady has excelled with limited firepower on the perimeter. Thus, he finds a way to get it done here with unproven playmakers in the Jon Niese Jersey huddle. Michigan. Brady's won a with le s. Michigan. is no Gronk, but he's a big, physical target can rely on since there's no quality rushing attack. Then again, could pull a on all of us. Michigan. tries his best, but Brady makes Funche s better, and Robinson finds space. Michigan. Hard to believe UM can't field a better back than Shoelace, but Sparty's best can't keep up with . Michigan. Wolverines for the grit factor. I a sume he's not suspended. Michigan.? Yes, I'll take . Michigan. Brady doesn't have a top supporting cast, but he always finds a way to win in the playoffs. Michigan State. The All-Suspension Game! Shouldn't Michigan have to play and Michigan State Javon Ringer, given the circumstances? MSU in a squeaker, subject to appeal. Michigan. carries Michigan here, even if buries on the ' bench. Michigan. Michigan has the best chance of any sub-2 seed to take this thing home. Then again, I'm on record as the . Michigan. It's all Brady. Michigan. trumps everything.No. 2 Alabama defeats No. 7 UNC -- 16-0, and VS., , Alabama. Elite running back, elite wideout ... and a quarterback with . That'll get it done in this round. Alabama. UNC is good for some splash plays, but 'Bama is better acro s the board. Alabama. One set of former teammates (Lacy and Jones) trumps another (Bernard and Ebron). Alabama. 'Bama has too much talent to fall victim to an upset in this round. Alabama. Brutal quarterback matchup, but Lacy and Jones are spicy. Alabama. Wow this is an ugly, turnover-filled affair -- until hands off the ball 70 times to ! Don't blame Julio for McCarron's mistakes. Alabama. Yeah, Alabama ... and BIG. Lacy pounds, Jones flies and they distance themselves from Gio Bernard's heroics. Alabama. A lot of fans wouldn't mind seeing McCarron hand off to and throw deep to this year -- meantime, he and his 'Bama pals best the Heels. Alabama. 'Bama will take care of the Tar Heels, but no team led by and is going to go deep in this dance. Alabama. 'Bama! Julio and Lacy power them to a win. Alabama. and carry Alabama to victory. Alabama. Guys with initials always make for good theatre ... AJ vs. T.J. vs. J.R.R. Tolkien vs. J.K. Rowling vs. J.R. Ewing vs. who shot him. I'm rambling. Tide rolls. Alabama. The Crimson Tide win in a runaway, thanks to Lacy and Jones. Alabama. Alabama rolls. No contest. Alabama. Lacy-Jones is a strong duo. Alabama. Between Lacy and Jones, the Tide rolls in a romp.