Troy Trojans at Clemson Tigers
· NCAA - Football
No. 8 Clemson survives scare from Troy, wins 27-16 as Wesco catches 2 second-half TDs
The Tigers (1-1), 31-point favorites according to Sportsbook, trailed 16-0 midway through the second quarter and 16-3 at halftime, but outscored the Trojans (1-1) 24-0 after the break. Randall ran for a 1-yard TD to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter.
Moments later, safety Ricardo Jones intercepted Goose Crowder, making an acrobatic grab off a pass breakup by teammate Ashton Hampton. On the next play, Klubnik connected with Wesco for a 26-yard touchdown to put Clemson ahead 17-16.
Wesco added a 34-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter. He finished with seven receptions for 118 yards, and Klubnik was 18 of 24 for 196 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
“I don't think really anybody felt panicked or anything,” Klubnik said. “We know who we are. We believe that.”
Clemson, which fell four spots in the AP Top 25 after losing its opener to LSU, could drop again after this unimpressive performance.
Still, coach Dabo Swinney was proud of his team’s resilience. The 16-point comeback was the program's third-largest at Death Valley.
“There's a reason there are only three,” Swinney said. “Because when you get down like that, you usually get beat.”
Troy didn’t do itself any favors, committing 10 penalties for 95 yards to go with three turnovers. It also allowed 120 yards rushing, 103 in the second half.
“That was the difference in the football game,” Trojans coach Gerad Parker said.
The Tigers gained just 114 yards and committed two turnovers in the first half, including an interception off a tipped pass that linebacker TJ Thompson returned 4 yards for a touchdown.
The Tigers finally got on the board with 4:11 left before halftime on 25-yard field goal by Nolan Hauser.
Troy led 7-0 and had forced Clemson to go three-and-out on its first possession when the teams were called off the field with 10:43 left in the first quarter because of lightning. The game was delayed for 1 hour, 32 minutes.
The Trojans marched 75 yards in five plays on the opening drive, scoring on Crowder's 44-yard pass to Tray Taylor.
Clemson: The Tigers looked more like themselves in the second half. More complete efforts will be needed as the schedule picks up in intensity.
Clemson: Visits Georgia Tech next Saturday to open its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule.
How To Watch
How can I watch Troy Trojans vs. Clemson Tigers?
- TV Channel: Trojans at Tigers 2021 College Football, week 2, is broadcasted on ACC Network.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Scoring Summary
 |
TD | 1st Period 12:06 | Tray Taylor 44 Yd pass from Goose Crowder (Scott Taylor Renfroe Kick) |
|
FG | 2nd Period 12:38 | Scott Taylor Renfroe 37 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 2nd Period 6:58 | TJ Thompson 4 Yd Interception Return (Scott Taylor Renfroe PAT failed) |
 |
FG | 2nd Period 4:11 | Nolan Hauser 25 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 3rd Period 11:05 | Adam Randall 1 Yd Run (Nolan Hauser Kick) |
|
TD | 3rd Period 10:07 | Bryant Wesco Jr. 26 Yd pass from Cade Klubnik (Nolan Hauser Kick) |
|
FG | 3rd Period 5:54 | Nolan Hauser 30 Yd Field Goal |
|
TD | 4th Period 9:41 | Bryant Wesco Jr. 34 Yd pass from Cade Klubnik (Nolan Hauser Kick) |
Statistics
 TROY |
 CLEM |
|
|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1st Downs | 17 |
| 5-13 | 3rd down efficiency | 5-12 |
| 1-2 | 4th down efficiency | 0-1 |
| 301 | Total Yards | 316 |
| 223 | Passing | 196 |
| 19/31 | Comp/Att | 18/24 |
| 7.2 | Yards per pass | 8.2 |
| 78 | Rushing | 120 |
| 32 | Rushing Attempts | 31 |
| 2.4 | Yards per rush | 3.9 |
| 10-97 | Penalties | 3-30 |
| 3 | Turnovers | 2 |
| 0 | Fumbles lost | 1 |
| 3 | Interceptions thrown | 1 |
| 33:01 | Possession | 26:59 |
Game Information
Location: Clemson, SC
Attendance: 77,890 · Capacity:
Sun Belt - East
| TEAM | OVR | CONF |
|---|---|---|
| James Madison | 12-1 | 8-0 |
| Old Dominion | 9-3 | 6-2 |
| Coastal Carolina | 6-6 | 5-3 |
| Georgia Southern | 6-6 | 4-4 |
| Marshall | 5-7 | 3-5 |
| App State | 5-7 | 2-6 |
| Georgia State | 1-11 | 0-8 |
Sun Belt - West
| TEAM | OVER | CONF |
|---|---|---|
| Troy | 8-5 | 6-2 |
| Southern Miss | 7-5 | 5-3 |
| Louisiana | 6-6 | 5-3 |
| Arkansas State | 6-6 | 5-3 |
| Texas State | 6-6 | 3-5 |
| South Alabama | 4-8 | 3-5 |
| UL Monroe | 3-9 | 1-7 |
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