The Good: A Second-Half Awakening
Down 16-0 in the second quarter, Clemson looked lifeless. Then Cade Klubnik and Adam Randall flipped the switch. Randall’s bruising 112-yard rushing day, capped by a one-yard touchdown plunge, lit the spark. Klubnik, calm under pressure, completed 18 of 24 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns, both to sophomore phenom Bryant Wesco Jr. (7 catches, 118 yards). The Tigers’ offense roared back with 27 unanswered points, reminding fans why they were preseason contenders.
Defensively, Wade Woodaz led with 11 tackles, while Will Heldt and Avieon Terrell each came up with drive-killing sacks. The secondary forced three interceptions, including momentum-shifters from Ricardo Jones and Ronan Hanafin.
The Bad: The First-Half Nightmare
The opening 30 minutes felt like a flashback to Clemson’s most frustrating losses. A pick-six by Troy’s TJ Thompson put the Trojans up 16-0, and Memorial Stadium rained down boos as frustration mounted. Clemson’s offensive line struggled early, giving up a costly sack that killed momentum. Turnovers were killers too — Randall’s fumble in the first quarter snuffed out an early scoring chance and swung momentum firmly to Troy.
Troy QB Goose Crowder found Tray Taylor for a 44-yard strike, and tailback Tae Meadows gashed Clemson for chunk runs, exposing missed assignments. At halftime, Troy had outgained Clemson 206-114, and the Tigers looked rattled.
The Ugly: Penalties, Mistakes, and Early Panic
Even in victory, the blemishes remain glaring. Clemson was flagged for costly holding and false start penalties at critical junctures. Klubnik’s first-half interception was returned for a touchdown, the kind of “Clemsoning” mistake that had fans firing off sarcastic tweets from the stands. Randall’s late fumble — returned 53 yards by Troy’s Justin Powe — nearly opened the door for disaster before the defense bailed him out.
The stat sheet doesn’t lie: Troy actually won the possession battle (33:01 to 25:07) and converted more third downs. Clemson’s margin came from explosive plays and second-half dominance, but against ACC competition, those early miscues could spell disaster.
Bottom Line
Clemson’s 27–16 win will go down as a tale of two halves. The Tigers showed grit, talent, and playmaking in the second half, but the slow start and self-inflicted wounds remain a troubling storyline. If this team wants to contend for an ACC crown, “the ugly” must be cleaned up fast.