After a historic NFL playoffs setting the precedent for Super Bowl 56, the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams have emerged from their conferences to meet in a season finale that few were expecting. The championship matchup is set for 5:30 p.m. February 13th from SoFi Stadium which, coincidentally, is the home of the Rams. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige headline the halftime show for the action-packed night.

Eight of the twelve playoff games leading up to this point were decided by one possession, and both teams at the number one spot in their conferences were eliminated in the second round, making for some truly unpredictable results. Neither team was expected to make it this far, the 10-7 Bengals in particular.

Though Cincinnati is the sixth smallest market in the NFL, second year quarterback Joe Burrow won over the hearts of America and Gen Z in particular, his “shiesty” demeanor holding up through three teams this playoffs – two of which were heavily favored to beat his team. Burrow along with Ja’Marr Chase, Thaddeus Moss, and Tyler Shelvin all played together at Louisiana State University, where they won a national championship in 2020.

The Bengals won the Clear Springs poll with 59% of students predicting they will be victorious next Sunday, but others think they’re just getting caught in the moment.

“I think the Rams are gonna win,” sophomore Alexandro Quintanilla said. “Aaron Donald and Von Miller are going to dominate the Bengals’ offensive line and Joe Burrow won’t be able to do what he did against the Chiefs. I do think it will be a defensive game, though.”

The Rams, age-wise, are the complete other side of the coin compared to Cincinnati. They’re stacked with older talent in the back half of their careers who are still seeking rings. Matthew Stafford, Odell Beckham Jr., and Von Miller to name a few. With home field advantage in play, the Rams plan to be the party crashers of the Bengals’ historic run.

This Super Bowl matchup is a sign of parity to come in the NFL as we enter the post-Brady era, where things look a bit more competitive across the pool of 32 teams.