Super Bowl LI: Everything You Need to Know Ahead of the Big Game!

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Super Bowl LI
weekend is finally here!

From the diehard celebrity fans who will be tuning in, to the best commercials to watch out for, ET's rounded up everything you need to know ahead of the big game!


Where to watch:
Super Bowl LI kicks off live from the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT on Fox. Fans can also catch the game online for free at FOXsports.com or on the NFL Mobile app from Verizon.


Who is playing?:
The NFL championship game will be a match between the New England Patriots (AFC) and Atlanta Falcons (NFC). This marks the ninth Super Bowl appearance for the Patriots (the most of any team), and the second for the Falcons. The Pats were 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2014 season champs, while the Falcons have yet to claim a Super Bowl title.


Who's announcing?:
Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, with Erin Andrews and Chris Myers on the sidelines.


Who is singing the national anthem?:
Country star Luke Bryan will be belting out "The Star-Spangled Banner" on the football field. During a press conference on Thursday, the 40-year-old singer revealed he's planning to play it by ear. "I'm gonna walk out there and kind of follow my heart, and follow the vibe of the room, and so there's no telling how long it will go," he explained. "I may get out there and go, 'I'm about to pass out and I need to get this thing over quick,' or I may go out there and feel really, really good in the moment and try to milk it a little bit."

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Who is doing the coin toss?:
Former president George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara Bush, will take the field to determine who will kick off first. "The Bushes didn't hesitate for one second in accepting it," said the couple's spokesman, Jim McGrath. "They couldn't be prouder of their hometown and the Texans organization." This will mark his second time performing the coin toss, his first being Super Bowl XXXVI when the Patriots defeated the St. Louis Rams.


Who will be performing the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show?:
Brace yourself for a truly epic performance by Lady Gaga! The "Perfect Illusion" singer says "it will be special" because she's been preparing for this moment since she was four years old. "I know exactly what I'm going to do," she gushed. "This is where I'm supposed to be!"

And during her NFL press conference in Houston on Thursday, Mother Monster teased that the halftime show will span her whole career. "We chose songs both the football fans and the people that are just tuning in for the halftime show will enjoy," she said. "I don't wanna give away also how many costume changes I'll be doing ... We will be doing some very interesting and exciting stuff during the show, and I'm excited for you to see it."

"I will say it's a tremendously athletic show, and it's something we really talked about when creating the halftime experience," she added. "I mentioned that I thought it was important for us to consider, you know, high adrenaline."


Will there be any surprises?:
After Gaga captioned one of her Instagram photos with a bee emoji earlier this week, members of Beyoncé's "Beyhive" went crazy, suggesting that this subtle sign is actually a clue that the Houston native may be joining her onstage to perform their hit song, "Telephone."

But at her press conference on Thursday, Gaga played coy. "Oh boy, do you guys read into everything," she joked to ET. "You know what, I wouldn't read into it, no."


Predictions:
According to NFL sports analysts, the Patriots are favored to win on Sunday. "In a game with long drives, few possessions and even fewer stops, the Patriots defense's ability to force field goals in the red zone will be the difference," says NFL.com writer Gregg Rosenthal.


Most Valuable Player Award:
During the fourth quarter of the game, fans can head over to NFL.com to vote for MVP. ESPN predicts Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Dion Lewis, LeGarrette Blount or Dont'a Hightower will receive the trophy this year for the Patriots, or Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Matt Ryan or Vic Beasley for the Falcons. For the full list of previous MVP winners, click HERE.

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Commercials:
Aside from the actual game and the halftime show, one of the most memorable parts of every Super Bowl is the commercials. ET got a sneak peek at some of the ads that will be airing during the breaks, and we've rounded up a few of our favorites: Audi's "#DriveProgress," Buick's "Not So Pee Wee Football" starring Miranda Kerr and Cam Newton, Ford's "Go Further," T-Mobile's "#UnlimitedMoves" featuring Justin Bieber, Terrell Owens and Rob Gronkowski, Skittles' "Romance," and Bai's "Bevolution" starring Justin Timberlake.


Biggest celebrity fans:
Brady's wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, will surely be cheering her man on, with the help of diehard Patriots fans Mark Wahlberg, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Chris Evans. And we guarantee Falcons fans like Usher, Samuel L. Jackson, Ludacris, Ryan Seacrest and the members of Zac Brown Band will all be dressed in head-to-toe red, black, silver and white on Sunday!

"The Atlanta Falcons are going to WIN the Super Bowl," former Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez predicted while chatting with ET at the xXx: Return of Xander Cage premiere earlier this month. "Matt Ryan is playing his a** off and everybody's looking so good on that team, I can't see it going any other way. [If they win] I will do backflips, front flips, be so happy for that city."

Ahead of the Super Bowl, a slew of A-listers have already shared their excitement via social media. See their spirited pics, game day predictions and friendly feuds below:


Who do YOU think will win Super Bowl LI? Will Beyoncé make a surprise appearance during Gaga's halftime show? Share your thoughts with @etnow and @desireemurphy_ on Twitter!

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