Death Valley went silent early, then roared back to life.
What looked like a nightmare afternoon for No. 0-1 Clemson turned into a statement comeback, as Cade Klubnik and Bryant Wesco Jr. fueled a furious second-half rally to lift the Tigers past Troy 27-16 on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Troy stunned the 77,890 in attendance with a 16-0 lead midway through the second quarter, capped by a pick-six from linebacker TJ Thompson. Clemson’s offense looked lifeless, and boos even rained down from the home crowd.
But after halftime, Klubnik took over. The junior quarterback completed 18 of 24 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, both to Wesco Jr., who finished with 118 yards on seven catches. His 26-yard strike to Wesco in the third quarter gave Clemson its first lead, and his 34-yard dime in the fourth put the game away.
Running back Adam Randall added balance with 112 rushing yards and a 1-yard score to open the second-half surge. His 30-yard burst ignited the Tigers’ comeback drive, and he finished with 165 all-purpose yards.
Meanwhile, Clemson’s defense flipped the script after a shaky first half. The Tigers picked off Troy quarterback Goose Crowder three times, including crucial grabs by Ricardo Jones and Ronan Hanafin. Avieon Terrell sealed the momentum with a fourth-down sack early in the fourth quarter.
Crowder finished 19-of-31 for 223 yards with one touchdown but couldn’t overcome Clemson’s second-half pressure.
The Tigers (1-1) scored 24 unanswered points to erase the deficit and avoid a second straight September disaster.
For Troy (1-1), it was a missed opportunity. The Trojans had the ACC power wobbling but couldn’t land the knockout blow, stalling out on four second-half drives.
Clemson now turns its focus back to ACC play, but Saturday was about survival — and rediscovering its bite when the season felt like it was slipping away.
Turning Point: Wesco’s First TD Flip
Clemson’s season felt on the brink when it trailed 16-3 at halftime. Then, early in the third quarter, Ricardo Jones intercepted Troy quarterback Goose Crowder, setting up Clemson at the Trojans’ 26-yard line. On the very next snap, Cade Klubnik lofted a 26-yard strike to Bryant Wesco Jr. for a touchdown. The play gave Clemson its first real momentum and turned a restless Death Valley crowd back into a weapon.
Player of the Game: Bryant Wesco Jr.
The sophomore wideout showed why he’s Clemson’s emerging star. Wesco finished with seven catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns — both highlight-reel plays that swung the game. His 26-yard score gave the Tigers their first lead, and his 34-yard dagger in the fourth quarter sealed the win. Simply put: without Wesco, Clemson doesn’t survive Troy.
Stat of the Day: 24 Unanswered
From the second quarter on, Clemson outscored Troy 24-0. The Tigers went from looking lifeless to unstoppable, with 200 yards of offense after the break compared to Troy’s 95. That dominance erased a 16-point deficit, marking one of the Tigers’ largest comeback wins in recent memory.