If APF2K8 had been opened to be generic with a deep 'franchise' mode and a 32 team league it would have been considered among the best of last generation's sports games.
I still play it when I get fed up with Madden/NCAA.
With the NCAA Football series not coming back in the foreseeable future, don't think for a moment that 2K or another developer will just watch EA walk away with football.
(I say that with high hopes)