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The Hilltop Staff Predicts Super Bowl LIX Champion

With the Super Bowl quickly approaching, The Hilltop’s sports staff gave their predictions on who will win in football’s biggest showdown.

Photo from the Kansas City Chiefs 2020 Super Bowl Championship Parade (Photo courtesy of James Weatherly via Flickr)

For the second time in three years, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are set to clash on the NFL’s biggest stage—but this time, the stakes feel even higher.

The Chiefs, led by the seemingly unstoppable Patrick Mahomes, have a chance to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Meanwhile, the Eagles, still haunted by their heart-wrenching loss in the Super Bowl LVII showdown, are out for revenge. 

With legacies, dynasties and redemption on the line, The Hilltop sports staff is here to break down the matchup and give their Super Bowl picks. Will Mahomes cement his place in football immortality, or will Hurts and the Eagles get the ultimate payback? 

Kyle Fisher, senior strategic communication major from Atlanta, Georgia: 

As much as I wanted to see something different this year, like a Lamar Jackson coronation as the Ravens won the Super Bowl, or perhaps the first year of the NFL’s Jayden Daniels era as he capped off arguably the greatest quarterback rookie season in history with a ring… the Chiefs showed the world throughout their 17-2 run to the Super Bowl that nothing is different.

The Chiefs are the best team in the NFL, have the best player in the NFL, will not beat themselves, win most 50/50 calls and seem to make every play in game-defining moments. The Eagles have a very talented team, led by a running back who has statistically had one of the greatest single seasons in history at the position… unfortunately for them, they happen to exist during the Chiefs dynasty. Jalen Hurts is an elite game manager who seldom makes losing plays, but as the Chiefs gear up to stop Saquon Barkley, Hurts will have to shoulder more playmaking responsibilities than he can handle.

Fisher’s Prediction: Chiefs 31 vs. Eagles 23

Christian Marshall, senior journalism major from Ellicott City, Maryland: 

This NFL season and Super Bowl would have been more fun and exciting if these two teams had lost in the conference championships last week and we had two franchises face off in their first trips to the Super Bowl in some people’s lifetimes. Instead, we get a rematch of the 2022 Super Bowl between the infuriatingly dominant Chiefs and the talented Eagles. I think the Chiefs will win this game in the same manner in which they have won most of their games this season, tight and with execution in key moments. This Eagles team has superstar talent at every level on offense and defense but unless Saquon Barkley dominates this game himself I feel like Patrick Mahomes and KC will make just enough plays to hoist their third consecutive Lombardi trophy.

Marshall’s Prediction: Chiefs 27 vs. Eagles 24

Grant Roundtree, junior journalism major from Atlanta, Georgia: 

Honestly, looking at this Super Bowl matchup, I did not want either team to make it, but with my luck, the Chiefs won the AFC and the Eagles took the NFC. On paper, the Eagles have an incredibly strong roster on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they are loaded with playmakers like A.J. Brown, Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts, while their defense features dominant forces like Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell and Zack Baun—just to name a few. With so much talent, they seem like the clear favorite to win it all.

However, as we have seen time and time again, you can never bet against Patrick Mahomes. No matter how good the other team looks, he always finds a way to win. His connection with Travis Kelce is stronger than ever, and with Kelce heating up in the playoffs, the Chiefs’ offense will be hard to stop. Even though the Eagles may have the better overall team, the Chiefs have Mahomes, and that alone makes them dangerous. I believe they will once again find a way to win, securing their third straight Lombardi Trophy.

Roundtree’s Prediction: Chiefs 24 vs. Eagles 17

Brandon Horton, junior broadcast journalism major from Vallejo, California: 

I would love to go against the grain with my pick, but I can’t go against Patrick Mahomes. The combination of Coach Andy Reid and Mahomes under center is one of the greatest tandems in NFL history.  I believe the Eagles have a better overall roster. They are loaded with elite talent on both sides of the ball and have been almost dominant on their way to Super Bowl LIX. Running back Saquon Barkley has taken the already explosive Eagles offense to new heights this season.

In another reality, I would pick them, but I can’t go against Mahomes. He almost always makes magic happen when he has the ball in crucial moments. He has only lost to Tom Brady, who is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time. This clears the way for Mahomes to continue to add to his already impressive career accomplishments. I think the game will be similar to the previous Super Bowl matchup in 2022, but I have the Chiefs completing the league’s first-ever three-peat.

Horton’s Prediction: Chiefs 30 vs Eagles 27

Armani Durham, junior journalism major, sports administration minor from Sacramento, California: 

This Super Bowl will be entertaining to watch because of the significance it holds for both teams. The Chiefs are looking to go for a three-peat and be the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive championships. The Eagles are looking to redeem themselves as they lost Super Bowl LVII, to the Chiefs, 38-35, and are also trying to win the organization’s second Super Bowl.

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce’s connection on the field with Andy Reid orchestrating the plays makes it hard to believe that anyone can beat the Chiefs. They’ve been in this situation multiple times and have come out victorious the majority of the time. Mahomes has the talent and experience that has contributed to his three Super Bowl wins since being drafted by the Chiefs in 2017. In the regular season, the Chiefs were ranked fourth in scoring defense (19.2 points per game). Due to this, the team doesn’t need many points to secure this win. When it comes to protecting Mahomes, the O-line hasn’t been consistent. In the regular season, Mahomes was sacked 36 times which is the most in his career. He also was sacked five times in the playoffs. The lack of protection of Mahomes could be used to the advantage of the Eagles.

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In his first year with the team, Saquon Barkley has contributed greatly to the Eagles’ offense. He led the NFL with 2,005 rushing yards in the regular season and scored 13 touchdowns.  With Barkley’s agility and explosiveness in combination with the Eagles’ offensive line that wears down its opponent throughout the quarters, there is a possibility the Eagles could win. This playing style has also resulted in the Eagles being ranked first in time of possession (32:22). The Eagles have a well-put-together team with the defense specializing in taking the ball from its opponents and the offense rarely turning the ball over. Due to the team utilizing Barkley in their offense, running the ball has come off as predictable for the Eagles. This predictability could be used to the advantage of the Chiefs.

It’s hard to not believe the Chiefs will win the Super Bowl because they’ve managed to do it the past two years. Yes, it has never been done before but if anyone were to make history it would be the Chiefs. If any team were to stop the Chiefs’ Super Bowl run it would be the Eagles as they are dominating offensively because of the connection between Jalen Hurts and Barkley. Even though the Eagles are good on both sides of the ball I don’t think it’s enough to beat Mahomes and Reid.

Durham’s Prediction: Chiefs 30 vs Eagles 27

Copy edited by Aniyah Genama

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