ESPN College GameDay 2017: TV Schedule and Predictions for Week 14 Location

After being present for Alabama's shocking loss to Auburn, the ESPN College GameDay crew shuns the SEC in Week 14 and heads to ACC country for a battle between No. 1 Clemson and No. 7 Miami.

The ACC Championship likely decides which juggernaut goes to the College Football Playoff. For Clemson, it's a chance at winning the game for the third time in a row, while upstart Miami makes its debut riding one of college football's hottest waves.

Perhaps the biggest distinction here is the fact the Tigers are also seeking a third consecutive berth in the CFP. Miami, meanwhile, has dreams of barging in the ACC scene, creating chaos and claiming the conference as its own.

Easier said than done, especially with the Hurricanes coming off their first loss of the season via an upset. Here's everything to know about the heavyweight showdown.

College GameDay Week 14 Info

Date: Saturday, December 2

Time (ET): 9 a.m. to noon; game is at 8 p.m.

Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

Watch: ESPN, Game on ABC

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Preview

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

The Hurricanes don't enter this one as a just-happy-to-be-here squad.

Mark Richt's team is angry after a perfect season went down in flames in Week 13, a 24-14 dud against Pittsburgh. That's the 5-7 Pittsburgh; the Hurricanes entered ranked No. 2. Malik Rosier threw for a pair of touchdowns, but nobody beside the quarterback ran for more than 12 yards, and Pittsburgh dominated time of possession, sitting on the ball for 36:30. 

Call it a jarring performance from a team that had only played one close game all season. An early-November game against then-No. 13 Virginia Tech was a boring 28-10 affair, and the following week brought a 41-8 beatdown of then-No. 3 Notre Dame. 

Maybe it was simply a case of overlooking an opponent to catch a glimpse of Clemson. Otherwise, Miami has been dominant via a strong defense that leads the country with a plus-17 turnover margin. Rosier has been more clutch than dull while throwing 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions, and Travis Homer has usually been stout as the workhorse, as demonstrated by his 861 yards and seven scores on a 6.3 yards-per-carry average.

Yet it's understandable if the Hurricanes were looking ahead to the Tigers.

Clemson happens to enter the game feeling like an underdog as well. After droves of talent left for the NFL last year, most seemed to write them off. Yet here they are at 11-1, with a mid-October upset at the hands of Syracuse no longer a talking point.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

And here is quarterback Kelly Bryant, the man tasked with doing the borderline impossible: replacing national champion quarterback Deshaun Watson. All he's done with the task is complete 66.4 percent of his passes with 12 touchdowns and six picks while sitting second on the team in rushing with 639 yards and 10 scores.

"People questioned me, questioned this team after we lost so many people," Bryant said, according to ESPN.com's David M. Hale. "Not many people thought we'd be in the position we're in. But we'll keep the pedal to the metal, keep pushing."

Perhaps even more impressive is the way Clemson has looked Alabama-esque while reloading on the defensive side of the ball. The Tigers sit ranked sixth in total defense as a result while holding notables such as Auburn, Louisville, Virginia Tech and South Carolina to a maximum of 21 points.

If one couldn't tell, this might be a defensive-minded affair of the gritty variety, which shouldn't make it any less entertaining considering what's at stake.

Prediction 

It's impossible to ignore Clemson here.

The Tigers are 10-point favorites, as OddsShark reported. That's a hard line to argue against considering Clemson outscored opponents 164-58 in November. Meanwhile, it almost seems as if opposing teams have figured out the Miami offense.

Injuries don't help the outlook. Original starting running back Mark Walton isn't there. Tight end Chris Herndon is out for the year. Receiver Ahmmon Richards went down in practice leading up to this game with a season-ending injury, per ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson.

For some, it isn't fun to see Miami's ride come to an end like this. But the Hurricanes were going to have a hard time keeping pace with the Tigers while they simply played their game—the task seems more insurmountable now the offense be without three key pieces. Look for Bryant to control the pace in this one just like Pittsburgh did in Week 13.

Prediction: Clemson 28, Miami 20

Stats and information via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.