A chorus of 26 children from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. where 20 students and six adults were killed in a shooting rampage in December sang ``America the Beautiful,'' accompanied by ``American Idol'' alum Jennifer Hudson. Grammy winner Alicia Keys performed the national anthem.

Among the 26 third- and fourth-graders taking part and singing in the back row was the brother of Ben Wheeler, one of the first-graders killed in the mass shooting.

This is the 10th time New Orleans hosted the big game tying Miami for most in a city and first since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Big Easy in August 2005.