ACC Championship Game 2015: Early Preview, Predictions for UNC vs. Clemson

For the Clemson Tigers, it's about a spot in the Final Four.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are trying to play spoiler.

The last hurdle standing in Clemson's way from a spot in the College Football Playoff and a chance to play for a national championship is a talented North Carolina squad that has ran the table since its opening week stumble against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Clemson hasn't won an ACC Championship since 2011. It's been 35 years since the Tar Heels were crowned kings of the ACC. Let's preview the 2015 ACC Championship Game.

Clemson vs. North Carolina: How To Watch

Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

When: Saturday, Dec. 5

Time: 7:45 p.m. ET or 8 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN or ABC

What's on the line for Clemson?

The obvious answer is the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, but there's much more at stake for Clemson.

The Tigers are looking to continue their push to their first undefeated season since 1981, when they went 12-0 and won the national championship. Deshaun Watson could use one more stellar performance to sway Heisman voters his way, and a great game against a North Carolina defense that allows only 19.5 points per game would be a good start.

There's also a possible $500,000 bonus in Dabo Swinney's future if he gets the Tigers to the College Football Playoff. 

What's on the line for North Carolina?

The Tar Heels have not won an ACC Championship since Jimmy Carter was in office. A win would mean their first 11-win season since 1997 when Mack Brown was the head coach.

An upset win over the No. 1-ranked Tigers would also mean bowl season gets flipped upside down. Clemson more than likely gets knocked out of the Final Four, and quite possibly, out of a Selection Committee Bowl. That would be a long shot, but an even longer shot would be two ACC teams playing in a Committee game.

If North Carolina wins, the Peach Bowl may be the likeliest destination. However, thanks to Notre Dame losing to Stanford, a win for the Tar Heels could open the door for a huge jump in the CFP rankings, as Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports noted:

As for Clemson, who knows where they would end up?

Key Matchup

This game is going to come down to Deshaun Watson cracking the code that is North Carolina's defense. 

If Watson can have one more efficient, impressive match against a very game Tar Heels team, his Heisman consideration has to go up. But, by all accounts, Watson is already getting some Heisman love, like from NBC Sports' Ross Tucker, for example:

The one way that Watson can attack this North Carolina defense is with the big play. Pro Football Focus' Gordon McGuinness noted that Watson is 13-of-31 on passes further than 20 yards with seven touchdowns. He's completed 79.5 percent of his passes over the last month, in which he's continued to evolve into one of the best quarterbacks in the country, per McGuinness:

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Now, with a bit more experience under his belt, we’ve seen Watson transform from a player who was a solid young quarterback with a lot of potential, into one of the best quarterbacks in the country. His big arm is powering the Clemson offense towards a potential national championship this season, and with the Heisman race still wide open there’s every chance that there’s an individual award in Watson’s future too.

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Watson also showed that he's capable of making the big play when it counts, even though the South Carolina Gamecocks have been anything but great this season. A rivalry game needed someone to take over and make the game-deciding plays, and that's what Watson did, per freelance journalist David Ubben:

North Carolina's offense may be able to match Clemson point-for-point, but there's more pressure on Clemson to perform because of what's at stake.

Prediction

This is going to be the most entertaining game on the conference championship schedule. It seems like this would be the time for a Top 4 upset, and North Carolina pulling out the win.

But Clemson is at this point for a reason. The Tigers are good. Watson should be the leader in the Heisman race, but that's not the case. One big performance against North Carolina would make that a reality.

Clemson wins, in a nail biter, and it will enter the playoffs with the No. 1 seed.

Score: Clemson 27, North Carolina 24