The No. 8-ranked Clemson Tigers managed to sidestep a monumental upset, rallying from a 16-point deficit to beat the ever-feisty Troy Trojans 27-16. For a little while there, it looked like the 77,890 fans in “Death Valley” were about to witness a historic disaster. The Tigers, favored by a whopping 30.5 points, seemed to have left their game in the locker room, or maybe back in last season.
An Ugly Start For the Clemson Tigers
Let’s not sugarcoat it: the first half was a train wreck. Troy came out swinging, scoring on a 44-yard touchdown pass just before a 90-minute lightning delay zapped any momentum Clemson might have had. When play resumed, it was all Troy.
The Trojans’ defense was playing like their hair was on fire, culminating in a pick-six that put them up 16-0. You could hear a pin drop in Memorial Stadium. The home crowd was stunned, and frankly, who could blame them? Clemson looked lost, committing two turnovers and gaining a measly 114 yards. A late field goal to make it 16-3 at halftime felt less like a score and more like a participation trophy.
Clemson Tigers Wake Up From Its Nap
Whatever Dabo Swinney said during the halftime break must have included some fire and brimstone, because a completely different team emerged for the third quarter. The Clemson Tigers finally remembered they were, in fact, the Clemson Tigers. They marched down the field on their opening drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown run from Adam Randall.
The real turning point came moments later. An acrobatic interception by safety Ricardo Jones gave the offense the ball and a jolt of energy. On the very next play, Quarterback Cade Klubnik hit Bryant Wesco Jr. for a 26-yard touchdown, and just like that, Clemson had the lead. The crowd roared back to life, the collective sigh of relief practically shaking the stands.
Wesco wasn’t done, adding another 34-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. He was the star of the second-half show, finishing with seven catches for 118 yards. Klubnik, after a shaky start, found his rhythm, going 18-of-24 for 196 yards and two scores.
Final Thoughts
While it’s a win on the scoreboard, this performance felt more like a warning shot. A sluggish effort like that won’t fly as the season gets tougher. The Tigers survived, but they’ve got a lot to figure out before their ACC opener against Georgia Tech. For now, they can take a deep breath and be glad they avoided becoming the punchline of every college football joke this week.
