ESPN College Gameday 2014: Week 12 Schedule, Location, Predictions and More

The SEC is widely heralded as the strongest conference in college football, and Week 12 of the 2014 season brings us a clash between juggernauts Alabama and Mississippi State. Before these teams take the gridiron in Tuscaloosa, the cast of ESPN's College GameDay will be in attendance and ready to fire up the nation:

Will the No. 1 Bulldogs reign supreme, or will the No. 5 Crimson Tide shake up the College Football Playoff picture in a matchup that features extraordinary postseason implications? Be sure to tune in before Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and the rest of the crew dish out their predictions for the day.

ESPN College GameDay Viewing Information

When: Saturday, November 15

Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET

Channel: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN 

Preview and Prediction

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

This matchup features a battle of strengths, as a potent Mississippi State offense runs into a sturdy Alabama defense. We all know the age-old adage about a stalemate that occurs between an irresistible force and an immovable object. That will be the theme of Saturday's game.

Mississippi State is already getting hyped for its intense road contest:

The Crimson Tide aren't slouches on the offensive side of the ball; they simply happen to be more prolific on defense. Quarterback Blake Sims has produced some enormous games, but the team's second-ranked scoring defense was the reason for wins against teams like Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU.

The Bulldogs are just the opposite. The team is only allowing 19.7 points against; however, the offense has simply been more consistent this season, putting up at least 34 points in eight of its nine contests. Dual-threat quarterback Dak Prescott has been the catalyst for Mississippi State's 12th-ranked scoring offense.

Here's a look at the tale of the tape between these two squads, giving us a better idea of which team may have the upper hand:

As you can see, the offensive side of the ball hasn't been extremely contrasting between these teams. After all, the Bulldogs are only averaging just about 35 yards more per game. However, scoring is where the difference lies, as Mississippi State is translating that yardage into 5.1 points more per contest than its impending opponents.

Defensively, Alabama has a large advantage. While the Bulldogs are ranked 16th in the nation in points against, they have been tested by ranked teams, giving up at least 23 points to LSU, Texas A&M and Auburn. On the flip side, the Crimson Tide held LSU to 13 points and Texas A&M to zero.

Last season, Mississippi State's Prescott missed his team's 20-7 loss to Alabama. The Bulldogs were absolutely manhandled in that contest, and the quarterback spoke about his feelings regarding that game during an interview with Drew Champlin of AL.com.

Said Prescott, "I wanted to play so badly (last season). They were ranked No. 1 and that was tough being out for that game. Of course I wanted to get out there. Now being able to go to Tuscaloosa and the starter and healthy, I'm very excited." 

This time around, Mississippi State happens to be ranked No. 1 in the nation. However, Alabama is riding an impressive four-game winning streak and hasn't allowed more than 20 points to an opponent in that span. Needless to say, Prescott will have his work cut out for him if he wants to buck this trend:

Expect to see another low-scoring game between these two teams. Prescott may struggle out of the gate against the best defense he's seen all year. Alabama may have trouble moving the ball early as well if a similar game plan to the team's Week 11 showing against LSU that featured a heavy passing game is utilized.

Yards will be tough to come by, and the battle for field position will be extremely important in this decisive game. In this kind of contest, it's better to have a defense that can force mistakes from its opponent. Alabama gets the win, and the College Football Playoff picture will become very interesting.

Prediction: Alabama 27, Mississippi State 24