In case you haven’t been studying your Roman numerals, Super Bowl LIV means it’s time for the 54th edition of the biggest game in America’s most popular sport.

This year’s edition features the AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs, and the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers, who will square off on February 2nd in Miami to cap off the NFL’s 100th season. The 49ers and Chiefs are two teams who throughout the past five months have fought their way to the top of their respective conferences. However, both teams have taken different paths to get to Super Bowl Sunday.

A season ago, The Chiefs featured then-MVP Patrick Mahomes at QB, and arguably the most talented offense in the NFL. They were on the doorstep of Super Bowl 53, before Tom Brady and the Patriots defeated them in overtime at home in the AFC Championship Game. Kansas City has been a perennial playoff contender for quite some time, earning their fourth straight AFC West title this season, and sixth playoff appearance in seven years.

Things have been different in the Bay Area, however. Despite historically being one of the NFL’s most distinguished franchises, the 49ers have been basement dwellers for the past number of seasons. In fact, a year ago, many would have laughed if you said the 49ers were just a season away from playing in the Super Bowl.

In 2018, the 49ers finished with an abysmal 4-12 record, placing among the NFL’s worst. Dealing with injuries, struggles on offense, and a very young defense, the 49ers struggled to put wins together. Now, the narrative is different. With a healthy quarterback, a developed offensive core, and a more experienced and incredibly talented defense, the 49ers quietly established themselves as one of the NFL’s best teams. They’re only the third team in NFL history to appear in a Super Bowl after only having four or less wins the previous season.

The two teams have won in different ways, the Chiefs with speed and offensive efficiency, and the 49ers with size and power. “I’m super excited,” said senior Matt Buenzow, a lifelong Bills fan, who will be flying down to Miami to go to the game. “I was hoping the Bills would have made it, but I don’t really care at this point. I’ve always wanted to go to a Super Bowl.”

The experts are undecided on who to pick, as the two teams match up very well with each other. However, I think the defensive strength of the 49ers will win out in the end, and I don’t know that the Chiefs defense matches up well with the 49ers offensive weapons It will be a tough game for a Mahomes and the Chiefs, and a tough gritty win for the 49ers, who I believe will earn their sixth Super Bowl title next Sunday. My prediction, 27-24 49ers.