The Seattle Seahawks booked their place in Super Bowl XLVIII with a dramatic victory over the San Francisco 49ers which was bookended by huge turnovers.

The Seahawks beat the 49ers 23-17 to win the NFC Championship and join the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl in New Jersey on February 2.

A fumble by Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson on the very first offensive play of the game gave San Francisco a golden opportunity to open the scoring, which they duly did with a field goal for the only score of a tight first quarter.

An Anthony Dixon touchdown gave the 49ers a 10-0 lead, which was reduced to 10-3 by the midpoint before the game opened up in the second half. A trademark 40-yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch levelled the scores before San Francisco edged in front again when QB Colin Kaepernick passed to Anquan Boldin in the end zone.

But Seattle battled back with 13 unanswered points – including a fourth-down TD pass to Jermaine Kearse – as the NFL's top-rated defense registered three turnovers in a crazy fourth quarter. 

The final turnover snuffed out San Francisco's hopes as linebacker Richard Sherman tipped and then Malcolm Smith intercepted a pass intended for Michael Crabtree in the end zone with 22 seconds left in the game. 

The Seahawks thus advanced to the NFL's title game for the only the second time in the franchise's history after the Broncos sealed their place with a 26-16 win over the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. 

Kaepernick contributed to the craziness of the game. The 49ers QB ran for 130 yards to become the second biggest rushing QB in playoff history: 507 yards in six starts, bettered only by Steve Young had 594 in 20 games. But the quarterback also threw two interceptions meaning Kaepernick has thrown 11 interceptions this season – six of which have been picked off by the Seahawks.

Wilson meanwhile completed 16-of-25 for 215 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Wilson will now be the young quarterback that advances to the Super Bowl to face-off against one of the NFL's all-time greats, Peyton Manning.