As Super Bowl LX approaches on Sunday, students around the school predict who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy: the Seattle Seahawks or the New England Patriots. Both Seattle and New England finished the regular season with 14-3 records, making for a heavyweight matchup between two teams that have dominated their opponents all year. This high-stakes matchup sparks contentious debates among students. Notably, school alum Mack Hollins will also take the field in the big game, lining up at wide receiver for New England, and giving students a personal connection to the game.

Hollins, who’s in his ninth season in the NFL and has contributed as both a wide receiver and special teams player, now reaches the biggest stage in football for the second time in his career, first reaching the Super Bowl in 2018 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Although he did not record any offensive stats in his first Super Bowl stint, his role has increased as a wide receiver since then, and students should be looking for him to make plays this year.

Seattle’s highly touted defense, which finished number one in defensive rankings, is a frequently brought up factor by students who believe the Seahawks will win the game. Their ability to force turnovers is one of the best in the league. “Seattle’s defense is gonna be too much for the Patriots to handle. If they can force a few turnovers, I think they will end up running away with the game,” senior Shreyas Ganeshan said.

Another reason students believe Seattle will come away with the victory is due to the young age and inexperience of New England’s quarterback, Drake Maye. At 23 years old, Maye is in his second year in the NFL and the first playoff run of his career, sparking questions about whether he can get the job done. “I believe Drake Maye doesn’t have what it takes and is too inexperienced to win such a big game,” senior Kioko Kibua said.

On the other hand, New England’s run defense makes a solid case as to why they can come out on top. Allowing 3.1 yards per carry in this year’s playoffs, New England’s defense may have the answer needed to stop Seattle’s run-heavy offensive scheme. “I saw a stat on TV the other day that said the Seahawks are the second most run-heavy team in the entire league. If the Patriots can continue to play extremely well against the run, I think they’ll win because they’ll be able to shut down the Seahawks main focus of offense,” senior Krish Balkee said.

Students also choose New England to win the game because they think that Maye will simply outplay the opposing quarterback, Sam Darnold. Maye, who has had a breakout year, finished the regular season among the top four quarterbacks in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. “I think it’s just destined that the Patriots win, mainly because of Drake Maye. He’s been unstoppable all year long, and I don’t think he’s gonna slow down at all in the Super Bowl. I think he’ll outplay Darnold,” senior Landon Brenner said.

Students who are unable to decide who they think will win remain conflicted due to both teams presenting strong cases for victory. Seattle’s defense allowed the fewest points per game in the NFL and has been effective at stopping both the run and pass, while New England’s offense ranked among the league’s best the entire season. “I feel like every time I look at the matchups and stats, my answer changes as to who I think will win. I’m honestly going into the game without a prediction at all,” senior Maxwell Scherr said.

Regardless of the outcome, the Super Bowl remains an enjoyable event for students throughout the school, as watch parties and debates bring students together and create memories.