What Time Does The Super Bowl Start In Utah? (And Other Info)

WHO-
San Francisco 49ers (NFC champion) vs. Baltimore Ravens (AFC champion)

ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-
2012 Record: 11 Wins, 4 Losses, 1 Tie
Division: NFC West
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (2nd season)
Starting QB: Colin Kaepernick (2nd season)
Utah players: QB Alex Smith
BYU players: None
How they got to Super Bowl XLVII: def. Green Bay 45-31, def. Atlanta 28-24

After a full decade of frustrating futility -- despite a proud tradition of winning -- the San Francisco 49ers finally emerged as a legitimate championship contender in 2012 under second-year head coach Jim Harbaugh. The 49ers came within just a few minutes of reaching the Super Bowl last season, but thanks largely to a botched kickoff return late in the game they were defeated by the eventual champion New York Giants. In 2012, many experts predicted San Francisco to duplicate its success from 2011 and challenge once again for the championship.

Coach Harbaugh ignited a small controversy midway through the 2012 season by replacing veteran starting QB Alex Smith with the untested Colin Kaepernick after Smith sustained a concussion. However, when Smith was healthy enough to return he had become the team's backup QB. Smith, a former Utah Ute, would become the first quarterback from the University of Utah ever to play in the Super Bowl -- if he plays. Harbaugh has stated that Kaepernick will be the starting QB for Super Bowl XLVII.

MORE ABOUT THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS-
- San Francisco 49ers official site
- ESPN's 49er Clubhouse
- The 2012 49ers season (Wikipedia)
- History of the San Francisco 49ers (Wikipedia)

ABOUT THE BALTIMORE RAVENS-
2012 Record: 10 Wins, 6 Losses
Division: AFC North
Head Coach: John Harbaugh (5th season)
Starting QB: Joe Flacco (5th season)
Utah players: DT Maake Kemoeatu, LB Paul Kruger, WR David Reed
BYU players: TE Dennis Pitta, 
How they got to Super Bowl XLVII: def. Indianapolis 24-9, def. Denver 38-35, def. New England 28-13

The Baltimore Ravens make their second Super Bowl appearance in just 16 years of existence -- their first, a victory, came in Super Bowl XXXV against the New York Giants. Like San Francisco, the Ravens came close to making the NFL's championship game in 2011 but lost out to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots -- ironically, the they defeated to reach the Super Bowl this season.

Playing in the notoriously competitive AFC North, Baltimore turned heads in 2012 by topping the perennially contending Pittsburgh Steelers and the up-and-coming Cincinnati Bengals for the division crown. Fifth-year QB Joe Flacco finally proved that he might be worthy of mention among the league's elite in 2012 -- by achieving career high numbers, and pulling off a near-miracle finish in the AFC Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos. Down by seven points, on 3rd down, with just seconds remaining in the game, Flacco flung a 70-yard Hail Mary pass to receiver Jacoby Jones, who caught the pass and ran it into the end zone -- tying the game at 35 and forcing overtime. A field goal in overtime sealed the win for Baltimore.

MORE ABOUT THE BALTIMORE RAVENS-
- Baltimore Ravens official site
- ESPN's Ravens Clubhouse
- The 2012 Ravens season (Wikipedia)
- History of the Baltimore Ravens (Wikipedia)