By Max Calderone | Sports Writer
Super Bowl LII will be held on Sunday in Minneapolis. Here are some of the things you need to know.
WHO: New England Patriots vs Philadelphia Eagles
The Patriots enter as favorites by four points, and have a 52.8 percent chance at winning, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. Both teams finished the regular season with 13-3 records, clinching the top seed in their conference.
New England defeated the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars en route to their 10th Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. A win in Super Bowl LII would be their sixth NFL title, which would tie the all-time record with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Philadelphia took down the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings on their way to their third Super Bowl in team history, their first appearance in the big game since 2004, where they also played the Patriots. The Eagles will be playing without their starting quarterback, Carson Wentz, who tore his ACL in a Week 14 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
WHAT: Super Bowl LII
This will be the 52nd Super Bowl and 48th modern-era NFL championship game. The Super Bowl was first played on Jan. 15, 1967, between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs in Los Angeles.
The Vince Lombardi Trophy is the hardware coveted by both teams. The Patriots have won the Super Bowl five times, while the Eagles are still in search of their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history.
WHERE: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis
U.S. Bank Stadium was opened in 2016 and is home to the Minnesota Vikings. This is the city’s second time hosting the Super Bowl, but the first in this current stadium.
U.S. Bank Stadium also serves as the home location for early season University of Minnesota college baseball games. The Golden Gophers use the closed-roof dome to play indoors when the weather is too cold.
This is the 18th time the Super Bowl will be played in a dome.
WHEN: February 4, 2018
Since 2004, the Super Bowl has been played on the first Sunday in February. The game has never been played later than Feb. 7.
Super Bowl LII will kickoff at 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC.
PLAYER PERSPECTIVE:
“They’ve been playing well all year and that’s why they’re in this game,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said in a Jan. 27 press conference. “It’s going to be a great game.”
“They’re extremely well-coached. They’ve been doing it for a long time,” Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, told reporters on Jan. 26. “They’ve got a lot of good players and it’s going to be a very tough test for us.”
BAYLOR STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVE:
“I’ve been an Eagles fan my entire life,” said Allentown, Pa., junior Lizzie Zubia. “I eat, sleep and breathe Eagles football all year long. It would mean the world to the city of Philadelphia to bring home their first Super Bowl victory. I’ve had my plane ticket for the parade booked for quite a while and I’m excited to celebrate in my city.”
“Another Super Bowl win might seem cavalier for the fans of any other team, but this would mean just as much as the others to us,” said Rockland, Mass., junior Cameron Stuart. “I’ve been a Pats fan ever since I can remember. My emotions go all over the place every game.”
“I’ve been a die-hard Eagles fan since I was 5 years old,” said San Antonio senior Thomas Mott. “I don’t think people on the outside realize how important a Super Bowl is to Philly fans. I think I’m still in shock.”
NBC will host the broadcast, with Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth calling plays. Grab your friends, prepare your favorite gameday snack and tune in at 5:30 p.m. to see who will be crowned champions of the NFL.
