Super Bowl LVIII predictions: Targum sports desk heavy on Chiefs
Super Bowl LVIII is finally here. The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers are the final two teams remaining after an exhilarating NFL Playoffs and are set to battle in Las Vegas with the Lombardi Trophy on the line.
With former Rutgers football star Isiah Pacheco playing in his second consecutive Super Bowl with the Chiefs, excitement levels on the Banks are particularly high.
Ahead of the highly anticipated matchup, here are The Daily Targum's score predictions for Sunday's game.
Ellis Gordon, head sports editor:
Score: Chiefs win 28-23
Super Bowl MVP: Patrick Mahomes
"Pacheco will rush for more than 100 yards."
Josh Meyers, associate sports editor:
Score: Chiefs win 32-24
Super Bowl MVP: Mahomes
"The national anthem singer goes over 90.5 seconds. The coin toss is tails. Brock Purdy throws two picks, with one of them being a pick-six. Noah Gray, not Travis Kelce, catches a touchdown. Kelce pops the question to Taylor Swift."
Astha Lakhankar, managing editor
Score: Chiefs win 36-30
Super Bowl MVP: Mahomes
"For the second time in two years, the Kansas City Chiefs will take home a Super Bowl championship. They have great talent and great passion, and both those things will take them to Disneyland on Sunday."
Brian Delk, head news editor
Score: 24-12
Super Bowl MVP: Purdy
"Brock Purdy and the fantastic 49ers will take home their sixth Super Bowl ring and annihilate the Chiefs. They will hang the Chiefs out to dry in the run game, doubling them in score."
Camden Markel, correspondent:
Score: Chiefs win 27-14
Super Bowl MVP: Kelce
"Chiefs beat the 49ers by 13 points, sending the Swifties into a frenzy, as 13 is Taylor's lucky number. Pairing this with Kelce's MVP performance of six catches, 78 yards and two touchdowns (13 yards per catch), the stars have aligned. Kelce proposes to Swift in the heat of the moment, and the internet officially breaks.
Pacheco scores a touchdown. Jake Moody goes 0/2 on field goal attempts."
Matthew Mangam, correspondent:
Score: Chiefs win 27-21
Super Bowl MVP: Mahomes
"Christian McCaffrey will rush for at least 90 yards with a rushing touchdown. Kelce will also score a touchdown."
Joel Pesantez, inside beat editor trainee:
Score: Chiefs win 3-0
Super Bowl MVP: Harrison Butker
"It's a slow burn until the fourth quarter, when things begin to get a bit more tense. Butker comes in clutch."
Jackson DiLullo, contributing writer:
Score: Chiefs win 24-16
Super Bowl MVP: Kelce
"Mahomes struggles again against the mighty San Francisco defense, but with Pacheco going for more than 75 yards and a score and Kelce catching two more, it won't matter much. Taylor Swift runs onto the field and jumps in the Super Bowl MVP's arms as red and yellow confetti blankets the field — storybook stuff."
Philip Jaccoma, contributing writer:
Score: Chiefs win 27-24
Super Bowl MVP: Mahomes
"Kelce one touchdown, Pacheco held to less than 60 yards with a touchdown and CMC (McCaffrey) one touchdown."
Andrew Rice, contributing writer:
Score: 49ers win 28-24
Super Bowl MVP: Deebo Samuel
"The 49ers' defensive line will be too much for the Chiefs' offensive line and will get three sacks."
Jonathan Vasquez, contributing writer:
Score: Chiefs win 27-21
Super Bowl MVP: Mahomes
"The score is 10-7 at halftime. The Niners score the first touchdown. Mahomes runs for more than 25 yards. Kelce will get more than 10 receptions for at least 100 yards. Purdy throws a pick to lose the game."
Jack Rabenhorst, contributing writer:
Score: Chiefs win 31-21
Super Bowl MVP: Kelce
"Kelce catches three touchdowns."
Nicholas Hart, contributing writer:
Score: 49ers win 35-24
Super Bowl MVP: McCaffrey
"McCaffrey rushes for more than 100 yards, and Pacheco has a rushing touchdown."
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