Super Bowl: House Divided For Two SoCal Natives

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - It's not unusual for a couple to have fun competition, but the stakes are raised when it comes to football — and the big game!

Zak and Kalika Johnson may live under one roof as husband and wife but when it comes to which team they're cheering for in Super Bowl LVI, they couldn't be more divided.

"I love it. It's great to have some rivalry, have some competition in the house," said Kalika.

"We smack talk all the time so the games only enhance that to the next level," said Zak.

Kalika, a Southern California native, says she became a fan while attending college in Ohio.

"The Who Dey nation, they're amazing, the fans and Paul Brown Stadium was incredible," said Kalika. "But just the camaraderie between the fans and then players and organization, it was wonderful."

When Kalika returned home from college years later, she met Zak and tied the knot with the lifelong Rams fan.

"For the Rams, for the Bengals, for my marriage, this is a huge deal. I mean the unlikelihood of this happening, a home team at SoFi [Stadium], that's huge," said Zak.  "LA Rams - this is incredible. And then the Bengals, the team that has never won a Super Bowl, you can't write this story."

The Johnsons will be hosting a Super Bowl party at their house on Sunday and depending on who you ask, they'll either be celebrating a Rams victory or a win for the Bengals. But one thing both will be celebrating is their 5-year wedding anniversary!

"Our anniversary happens to be on the Super Bowl so that's all I want for my anniversary is for the Bengals to take it," said Kalika.

"I didn't know going into this marriage of how deep this was going to be, how crazy this was going to end up now 5 years later," said Zak.

No matter which team wins, you can be sure the smack talking at the Johnson's house will continue long past Sunday.

"I think the underdogs are gonna pull it off this weekend," said Kalika.

But Zak feels otherwise, "It's an easy one, we got this in the bag."