Another year, another Super Bowl. Some of us follow football from kickoff of the very first pre-season game, and some of us are busy following, uh, more important things like The Bachelor. Either way, this (apparently) is a big event every year that we should all get excited for! Have no idea who’s playing? Have no fear – HerCampus is here to help.
The Really Important Stuff
When? Sunday, Feb. 7. 6:30 PM (E.T.)
Where? Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, CA)
Channel: CBS
Super Bowl Number: 50 (They’re not using roman numerals this year, fun fact!)
The Teams and Some Background
The two teams playing are the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. Neither of these teams played in last year’s Super Bowl, but the Broncos did make an appearance two years ago, when they lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
In order for the Panthers to make it to the Super Bowl this year, they had to win the NFC Championship, which was played in Charlotte, NC against the Arizona Cardinals. Many football fans have argued that the NFC was the more competitive of the two divisions this season – so the Cardinals vs. Panthers matchup should have been a close one. However, with a score of 15-49, the Panthers proved to be the outstandingly dominant team. Cam Newton (quarterback for the Panthers) showed his skills by throwing two touchdowns as well as running two into the end zone – quite the feat for a championship game at this level. The Cardinals put up a good fight, but could not match this Super Bowl-bound team.
Take away point: The Panthers are relentless – after an incredibly strong season, they aren’t ready to give up their #1 seed for anything.
The AFC Championship in Denver, CO was between the Broncos (on their home turf) and the reigning Super Bowl 49 champions – the New England Patriots. A tight game from the beginning, with the first-quarter score being 7-6, Denver, this game left Patriots and Broncos fans alike nervous for the entire time. By the second half, the Broncos were leading 17-9. By the end of the second half, the Patriots had almost caught up, and the score was 20-18. For the final big play of the season, Tom Brady attempts a pass, and fails the two-point conversion. This would have sent the game into overtime, allowing for the Patriots to have one last shot at repeating the Super Bowl.
Take away point: Denver keeps fighting throughout the entirety of the game, and when it gets close, they don’t buckle under pressure.
The odds are close, as they are for any Super Bowl, with the Panthers up as 6-point favorites.
The Players:
Panthers:
Ron Rivera: Head coach. He’s coached for the Bears, the Eagles and the Chargers too. Also, he was a round 2, 44th pick in the 1984 NFL draft – for the Bears! Quite the career.
Cam Newton: Quarterback. Number 1. He’s a cocky guy, but an excellent player. He was the first pick in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft, so I guess you couldn’t call him an underdog.
Michael Oher: Tackle. Number 74. Name sounds familiar? Probably because you know him from The Blind Side. That’s right, Sandra Bullock raised a Super Bowl attendee, apparently.
Luke Kuechly: Linebacker. Number 59. Also a round 1 pick, but in the 2012 draft. He had an amazing play in the NFC Championship, when he intercepted Seahawks’ Quarterback Russell Wilson and returned the pick for a touchdown by running 14 yards.
Broncos:
Gary Kubiak: Head coach. He actually played for the Broncos from 1983-1991. Like Rivera, he coached many teams, including Texas A&M, the 49ers, the Texans, and the Ravens.
Peyton Manning: Quarterback. Number 18. He too was a first round, 1st pick in the 1998 draft (Yikes he is old!), so this game will be full of high-ranked quarterbacks. In case you didn’t know, he is Eli Manning’s older brother (he plays for the New York Giants).
Brock Osweiler: Quarterback. Number 17. One of the few teams to have not one, but two stand-out quarterbacks, Brock has got some big shoes to fill once Manning eventually has to retire. But, this season, he proved himself when he had to fill in for Peyton Manning when Manning was benched after throwing four interceptions in November against Kansas City.
Demaryius Thomas: Wide Receiver. Number 88. Also a round 1 pick, Thomas has a lengthy list of career highlights and awards. He has been ranked in the top 100 NFL players since 2013. He also hold the record for most receptions in a Super Bowl.
This is really just the short version of what there is to know on Super Bowl Sunday. Regardless of your level of interest in the actual game, the occasion itself is always tons of fun (probably because of the tons of food… maybe that’s just me?). So, be sure to put on a jersey and set aside those few hours to take part in the nation’s most watched television broadcast, even if it’s mainly for the cuteness of the Budweiser Clydesdales – we get it. No matter who you’re rooting for, it’s sure to be an exciting event!
Editor’s Note: Go Seahawks.