24 B1G products vying for Super Bowl berth

It's NFL conference championship weekend, and 24 Big Ten products are vying for a spot in Super Bowl XLVIII. New England (8) and Seattle (7) boast the most former Big Ten players of the four semifinalists.

See all the Big Ten products playing in Sunday's conference championship games in this post.

Up first, it's Tom Brady and New England at Shaun Phillips and Denver in the AFC Championship Game at 3 p.m. ET. After that, at 6:30, it's Navorro Bowman and San Francisco at Russell Wilson and Seattle.

NFC

San Francisco 49ers (5)
G Alex Boone – Ohio State
LB Navorro Bowman – Penn State
TE Garrett Celek – Michigan State
C Jonathan Goodwin – Michigan
S Donte Whitner – Ohio State

Seattle Seahawks (7)
DE Cliff Avril – Purdue
TE Kellen Davis – Michigan State
DT Jordan Hill – Penn State
S Chris Maragos – Wisconsin
FB Michael Robinson – Penn State
LB O'Brien Schofield – Wisconsin
QB Russell Wilson – Wisconsin

AFC

Denver Broncos (4)
RB Montee Ball – Wisconsin
CB Marquice Cole – Northwestern
WR Eric Decker – Minnesota
DE Shaun Phillips – Purdue

New England Patriots (8)
QB Tom Brady – Michigan
DL Michael Buchanan – Illinois
CB Alfonzo Dennard – Nebraska
DB Nate Ebner – Ohio State
DB Justin Green – Illinois
TE Michael Hoomanawanui – Illinois
DL Rob Ninkovich – Purdue
DB Tavon Wilson – Illinois

There are also these familiar names: CB Tramaine Brock, Minnesota (played junior year with Gophers before transferring – SF); WR Mario Manningham, Michigan (Injured Reserve – SF); G Al Netter, Northwestern (Practice Squad – SF); WR Greg Orton, Purdue (Practice Squad – NE); DT Kevin Vickerson, Michigan State (Injured Reserve – DEN); OL Markus Zusevics, Iowa (Injured Reserve – NE).

For the curious minds, the Super Bowl can feature as many as 15 Big Ten players (New England vs. Seattle) and as few as nine (Denver vs. San Francisco).

Breakdown by school:
4 – Illinois, Wisconsin
3 – Penn State, Purdue, Ohio State
2 – Michigan, Michigan State
1 – Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern