With the conclusion of the conference championship games Sunday, we finally have two contenders for Super Bowl LI.
One franchise has been here many times before...while the other will compete on the NFL's biggest stage for just the second time ever.
The No. 1 seed New England Patriots, who defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 Sunday night, will represent the AFC, while the second-seeded Atlanta Falcons shocked the Green Bay Packers 44-21 earlier in the day.
The Super Bowl showdown is scheduled to take place February 5. All the information you need to know ahead of the big game, including the schedule, halftime performers and more, is included below, as well as a preview of the clash between the Pats and the Falcons.
How to Watch
Date: Sunday, February 5
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston
TV: Fox
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Live Stream: FoxSports.com; NFL Mobile from Verizon
What to Watch
Patriots vs. Falcons
The Patriots earned their entry into an NFL-record ninth Super Bowl on Sunday with their win over Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, the Falcons will play for the Lombardi Trophy for just the second time in franchise history after losing to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII.
The Patriots open as three-point favorites in early Vegas odds per OddsShark:
New England has been here before many times, and even the team's younger players can call themselves veterans of the big stage, having won it all as recently as 2015.
Meanwhile, no player on Atlanta's current roster has ever played at this level before, but the Falcons bring one of the NFL's hottest teams, and surely its best offense, to the table to give New England a run for its money.
Atlanta was No. 2 in the league in total yards per game in the regular season with 415.8, while New England's offense wasn't far behind in fourth place.
Both teams were in the top three in scoring, though Atlanta's 33.8 points-per-game average was far and away the most deadly in the NFL.
However, the big difference between these two teams, and what could end up making the difference in Houston, is the strength of each team's passing defense.
The Patriots allowed opponents just 237.9 passing yards per game in the regular season, good for 12th in the league, and featured the league's top scoring defense.
On the other hand, Atlanta's secondary has been suspect, ranking 28th in the regular season. It will struggle to contain New England's weapons, especially wide receiver Chris Hogan, who went off for 180 yards and two touchdowns Sunday.
Halftime and Performances
Country star Luke Bryan, two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, will kick off Super Bowl LI with a performance of the national anthem:
Then, Super Bowl 50 national anthem singer Lady Gaga will headline the Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Known for her theatrical and sometimes controversial live performances, including the infamous meat dress and hatching from an egg at the Grammys, Gaga brings the kind of showiness that draws viewers to the halftime show, some of whom weren't even tuned in to the game ahead of time.
But as the NFL has continued to play it safe since its NSFW Janet Jackson moment, it remains to be seen whether what Lady Gaga has planned will push the envelope of recent halftime performances.