Super Bowl 50.
The Carolina Panthers are looking to put an exclamation point on a season where they have been doubted all year but have just kept winning. The Denver Broncos, on the flip side, are looking to ride that elite defense to the franchise’s third Super Bowl victory.
Here’s a rundown of who the experts like:
Super Bowl 50 Expert Picks
Note: These are in order of who has been most accurate all season (not counting fan consensus picks), according to NFLPickWatch.com. The picks are straight-up, not against the spread.
Josh Katzowitz, Forbes: Broncos
FiveThirtyEight Elo model, FiveThirtyEight: Panthers
Dave Richard, CBS Sports: Panthers
Brandon George, Dallas Morning News: Panthers
Dana Larson, Dallas Morning News: Broncos
Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY: Panthers
Numberfire projections, Numberfire: Panthers
Chris Mortensen, ESPN: Broncos
David Moore, Dallas Morning News: Panthers
Jamey Eisenberg, CBS Sports: Panthers
Neil Hornsby, Pro Football Focus: Panthers
PredictionMachine projections, PredictionMachine: Panthers
Vinnie Iyer, SportingNews: Panthers
Mike Garafolo, FOX Sports: Panthers
Michael David Smith, Pro Football Talk: Panthers
Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY: Broncos
Kevin Patra, NFL Network: Panthers
Keyshawn Johnson, ESPN: Panthers
Merill Hoge, ESPN: Panthers
Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News: Broncos
Don Banks, Sports Illustrated: Panthers
Michael Irvin, NFL Network: Panthers
Alex Marvez, FOX Sports: Panthers
Brad Gagnon, Bleacher Report: Panthers
Gary Davenport, Bleacher Report: Broncos
Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY: Panthers
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: Panthers
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: Broncos
Stephen White, SB Nation: Broncos
Cris Carter, ESPN: Panthers
Will it be Cam Newton putting the finishing touches on one of the most dominant seasons in NFL history? Or will Peyton Manning, the sentimental favorite, lead Denver to an upset in what could possibly be the final game of his career?
Of the 30 experts above, 22 (73.3 percent) like the Panthers, who are favored by six points.
The Broncos are used to this, though. They’re 4-1 this season as underdogs, including a win in the AFC conference championship.
