49ers vs. Rams: Updates and scores from the NFC Conference Championship

Hamilton is a hybrid playmaker who combines the versatility of Isaiah Simmons with instincts that are reminiscent of Hall of Famer Ed Reed.

Thibodeaux is a top-tier athlete who wins with speed and has shown surprising coverage versatility. His ceiling is massively high, but it might take a few years for his technique and toolbox to catch up to his talent.

Hutchinson's season was shades of Chase Young's 2019 dominant campaign, culminating in him finishing second in the Heisman voting. He's a high-floor prospect who wins with technique and strength.

Stingley features rare ball-tracking skills that make him a threat to take the ball away anytime it's in his vicinity. As an 18-year-old, he produced one of the most impressive true freshman seasons in college football history in 2019. Durability has been a concern ever since.

Karlaftis has been one of the most consistent pass rushers in the nation during his three seasons in West Lafayette. His inside-outside versatility, overwhelming power and special athleticism could make him a star at the next level.

Neal is a physical specimen (6-foot-7, 350 pounds) who has improved every season in Tuscaloosa and thrived at both left and right tackle.

Lloyd can rush the passer (he had seven sacks), impact the run game and make plays in coverage — he had four interceptions this season.

Ekwonu was the most dominant run-blocking tackle in the country this season — it really wasn't close — and I envision him thriving at tackle or guard in the NFL.

The Rimington Trophy winner and unanimous All-American was a multisport athlete in high school who earned multiple letters in wrestling, track, baseball and football.

Gardner made it through the playoff loss to Alabama unscathed. He finished his collegiate career with 1,100-plus snaps with nine interceptions and zero touchdowns allowed.

Elam is a 6-foot-2 corner with elite ball skills who fine-tuned his technique after an underwhelming sophomore season. His game is built on speed and physicality, which you normally don't see in the same toolkit.

Dotson features the game-breaking speed to beat defenses at all three levels and is good against press coverage despite his size (5-11, 185). He has very good hands and is a very capable blocker.

Johnson is capable of being three-down player as a potentially elite run defender and an underrated pass rusher.

Battle features the speed and athleticism to play center field or defend both sidelines, but he excels as a run defender.

The former five-star recruit needs to fine tune his tackling technique, but his combination of size (6-foot-3, 240 pounds), athleticism and coverage skills is impressive.

The two-time All-American has the size and skills — Hall is very capable in pass pro — to be a three-down back. His 800 collegiate touches will concern some scouts.

The former tight end turned tackle graded out as one of the best offensive lineman in the country, according to Pro Football Focus. Raimann allowed zero pressures over his last six games.

Penning finished tied for 10th in the Walter Payton Award voting, an award given to the most outstanding offensive player in Division I FCS.

These teams last played in 2018 at the Coliseum, and the game was a classic, with the Rams winning, 54-51. It was the highest scoring game in the history of "Monday Night Football," and the first time in NFL history that a team scored at least 50 points and lost. The game was originally scheduled for Mexico City but was moved to Los Angeles at the last minute because of the shoddy field condition at Estadio Azteca.

Rams quarterback Jared Goff, now with the Detroit Lions, threw for 413 yards, and Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes threw for a career-high 478. There were six lead changes, four of them in the fourth quarter.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid grew up in L.A. and attended Marshall High. Although he never coached for the Rams, he did wear a Rams uniform as a 12-year-old in a punt, pass and kick contest at halftime of a Monday night game in 1973. He comically towered over his competition, and video of that went viral.

For 21 years, the Rams and Chiefs resided on opposite sides of Missouri, until the Rams returned to Southern California in 2016. Austin Blythe, backup center for the Chiefs, used to play for the Rams.

One might call this matchup a "Modern Family" feud, as actor Ty Burrell — Phil Dunphy on the long-running ABC comedy — is a devoted Rams fan, whereas castmate Eric Stonestreet, who portrayed Cameron Tucker on the show, loves the Chiefs.

Zac Taylor, coach of the Bengals, was an assistant receivers coach with the Rams in 2017 and quarterbacks coach in 2018. At 38, Taylor is among the league's youngest coaches, yet is still more than two years older than the Rams' Sean McVay, who when he was hired at 30 was the NFL's youngest head coach of the modern era.

Rams left tackle Andrew Whitworth was a fixture for years in Cincinnati, and vouched for Taylor when the Bengals were looking to hire him.

Both quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow, were No. 1 overall selections.

Before moving to L.A. in 1946, the Rams spent a decade as the Cleveland Rams. So both franchises got their start in Ohio.

The Rams and Bengals have played each other only 14 times, with Cincinnati holding an 8-6 advantage. They last squared off in 2019 with the Rams winning, 24-10. That game was in London, and Rams receiver Cooper Kupp had seven catches for 220 yards and a touchdown.

This would be a rematch of Super Bowl LIV, the last game before the COVID-19 pandemic, when Kansas City claimed a 31-20 victory. It was the first Super Bowl between teams whose primary uniform color is red.

Joe Montana played for both franchises, as did quarterbacks Steve Bono and Alex Smith.

Reid coached San Francisco's offensive line — San Francisco State, that is.

The 49ers and Chiefs have met 14 times in their history, with each team winning seven of those.

This matchup would mark the third time these franchises have met in the Super Bowl, with the 49ers winning in the 1981 (26-21) and 1988 (20-16) seasons.

The late Bill Walsh, legendary coach of the 49ers, was an assistant coach for the Bengals from 1968-75. The DeBartolo and York families, who have owned the 49ers since the late 1970s, are from Youngstown, Ohio.

Nick Bosa, star defensive lineman for the 49ers, played at Ohio State and was friends with Burrow (who started there before transferring to Louisiana State) and Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard, another college teammate.

San Francisco and Cincinnati played each other this season in Week 14, with the 49ers collecting a 26-23 victory on the road. The Bengals overcame a 20-6 deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, with rookie receiver Ja'Marr Chase scoring two touchdowns in that comeback.

The Bengals kicked a field goal in the extra period, but the 49ers answered with a winning touchdown.