Game preview of the Troy vs Clemson matchup in Death Valley
The Troy Trojans began their 2025 season with a 38-20 victory over the Nicholls State Colonels.
Saturday night, the Trojans take on the Clemson Tigers in a game that Clemson hopes will get them back in the win column. The Clemson Tigers have not lost back-to-back games in the same season since 2023, but are currently on a two-game losing skid dating back to their 38-24 loss to Texas in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
While Clemson is set on getting into the win column, Troy looks to carry their momentum forward following a dominant second half against Nicholls State last week.
While the odds are stacked in Clemson’s favor, if there is one team you never count out, it is definitely the Trojans.
Troy
The beginning of Troy’s Week 1 matchup against Nicholls State is one that the Trojans want to put behind them. It was a slow-paced game that resulted in Troy not scoring until just over a minute before halftime.
Whatever was said to the team at halftime worked, as the Trojans came out and never looked back.
After an opening-possession touchdown by the Colonels in the third quarter, giving them a 17-7 lead, the Trojans exploded. The Trojans scored on the next five possessions and closed out the game on a 31-3 run.
“I’m very happy for our football team, our program, our staff and our players,”said head coach Gerad Parker in the post-game press conference. “I think a huge testament goes to the training and the shape of our football team to play that much of a game early in the year. It was a huge testament to our depth and stamina, and I’m really excited for our fan base to open up an event and get a much-needed win in front of a great crowd tonight.”
Tae Meadows (a Sun Belt Syndicate Week 1 Honorable Mention) was the star of the game as he had 23 carries for 186 yards, including a 54-yard rush that resulted in a touchdown.
Quarterback Goose Crowder, who was returning from a season-ending injury in 2024, went 14-for-24, passing for 144 yards and a trio of touchdowns.
Troy rushed for 272 yards as a team, improving to 25-0 since 2015 when rushing for more than 200 yards (29-0 since joining the Sun Belt in 2004 when rushing for 250 yards).
Clemson
The Clemson Tigers have the most returning production in all of college football.
Clemson went into its Week 1 match-up against the LSU Tigers favored by many to not only make the College Football Playoff, but to also be one of the favorites to win the National Championship. Unfortunately for Clemson, they were outmatched Saturday night as LSU came into town with a new look defense that was dominant from beginning to end.
“It’s like getting the final exam Day 1 of class. They made a 65, we made a 58. Neither one of us were great. But the good news is we’ve got the questions to the test now. And we’re going to get it again later on. So, it’s on us to make sure we’re ready,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after Clemson’s 17-10 defeat against LSU.
LSU head coach Brian Kelly had a response for Dabo in his own press conference.
“We dominated them in the second half. So, he’s either a really good grader for giving himself a 58 or he’s a really hard grader on us or he didn’t see the second half,” said Kelly. “Which, that might be the case. He might not have wanted to see the second half.”
Offensively, Clemson could just not move the ball. The Tigers were held to just 31 yards rushing on 20 attempts, averaging just 1.6 yards per carry.
Defensively, Clemson held LSU to 108 yards rushing on 31 carries, which is 3.5 yards per carry. Clemson recorded a sack, 8 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.
Clemson has now lost all but one of its last five season openers.
Troy at Clemson
Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT)
TV: ACCN
Radio: WCCP-FM 105.5 locally (also on Clemson Athletic Network)
For information on tickets, fans can visit Ticketmaster.
About The Author
