The 44th edition of the National Football League's Super Bowl gets an early start. For the first time in league history, the Pro Bowl is to be played a week prior to the annual championship, Jan. 31 in Miami.

Football Championship Subdivision programs are well-represented in this, the 40th edition of the Pro Bowl. Headlining the selections are First Team All-Pro nominees Jared Allen of the Minnesota Vikings and Darren Sharper of the New Orleans Saints.

Jared Allen, DE, Minnesota Vikings (Idaho State '03)
The charismatic Allen anchored a Minnesota defense that ranked tops in the NFC at just over 250 yards allowed per game. His 14.5 sacks was tops in the NFL. Allen picked off one pass and made 51 total tackles.

Darren Sharper, S, New Orleans Saints (William & Mary '96)
A resurgent 2009 for Darren Sharper yielded . He will not play in Sunday's Pro Bowl, as his Saints meet the Indianapolis Colts in the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance Feb. 7. He picked off nine passes, returning three of them for touchdowns. He also made 52 tackles.

Robert Mathis, DE, Indianapolis Colts (Alabama A&M '02)
Another Super Bowl-bound performer who will not play Sunday, Mathis completed perpetual Colt Pro Bowler Dwight Freeney on one of the NFL's top defensive lines. He forced five fumbles and registered 9.5 sacks.

Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys (Eastern Illinois '02)
Tony Romo appeared in his third Playoffs this season and registered his first postseason win, helping Dallas dissect rival Philadelphia in an NFC Wild Card game. He completed 27 touchdown passes, compared to just nine interceptions, and finished the campaign with a 97.6 quarterback rating.

Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys (Monmouth '05)
The No. 1 target of the aforementioned Romo, Miles Austin stepped in as the replacement for another FCS alumnus-turned-Pro Bowler Terrell Owens. He corralled 11 touchdown passes and over 1300 total receiving yards on the year.

Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego Chargers (Northern Colorado '04)
The 6-foot-5 Jackson emerged as the top pass catching option for the prolific Charger aerial attack with 1167 yards on the season. He hauled in nine touchdowns for the AFC West champions.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Arizona Cardinals (Tennessee State '07)
In just his second season with the Cardinals, Rodgers-Cromartie emerged as the team's premiere secondary performer with six interceptions, three forced fumbles and 50 tackles.

Yeremiah Bell, SS, Miami Dolphins (Eastern Kentucky '03)
Starting 15 of 16 games and appearing in every outing for the second consecutive season, Bell led the Dolphins with 114 tackles. He picked off three passes.

Nick Collins, FS, Green Bay Packers (Bethune-Cookman '04)
Six interceptions and 53 tackles marked Nick Collins' 2009 season, a campaign in which the Bethune-Cookman alum became a strong complement to fellow Packer secondary Pro Bowler and Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson.