Carrie Underwood has been busy preparing to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl 44 this Sunday. Though she's watched several tapes of past anthem singers, Carrie got some great advice from fellow artist Harry Connick, Jr. about her big Super Bowl gig. He told her, "Oh girl, you know what you're doing. Just get out there and do it."

As Carrie performs the national anthem this Sunday, her mind will be on all the troops currently serving overseas. Carrie's been on a few USO tour of her own, and she knows that soldiers often watch the Super Bowl while abroad. Says Carrie, "I think it'll be a great way to remember home and have an escape from what's going on around them."

As for which team she's rooting for, Carrie doesn't like to choose sides, but she's going to back the New Orleans Saints 51 percent over the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night. That decision is based on Carrie's past experience with the Saints' head coach. "I love Sean Peyton," explains Carrie. "He came to a concert."

Queen Latifah is set to perform "America the Beautiful" at the Super Bowl this Sunday before Carrie sings the anthem. At a Super Bowl press conference Thursday, Carrie and Queen Latifah got to visit a little bit, and they even teamed up for a brief duet on General Larry Platts' song "Pants on the Ground" from this season's American Idol auditions. When asked what she thought about the tune, Carrie joked, "That's music with a message, and as a songwriter, I know we all aspire to write something that is catchy and has a message." Carrie also encourages the youth of America to take that message seriously. "They can pull their pants up, 'cause it causes all kinds of back problems and stuff like that," Carrie says. "I've seen the study."

Carrie and Queen Latifah will perform just prior to the Super Bowl kick off at 5:25 p.m. CST on CBS this Sunday.