Clemson football was living out a real-life episode of The Twilight Zone.
Trailing 16-0, at Death Valley, against Troy, the Tigers were staring down the very real possibility of a season-crushing loss to the tiny school from Alabama. Trailing 16-3 at halftime, and with absolutely nothing working offensively, boos even began raining down from the half-empty stands.
The absence of many fans was prompted by a long weather delay initiated just four minutes into the game, with Clemson football already trailing 7-0, but while the Tigers were losing on the scoreboard, Clemson fans were losing their minds.
I will be completely honest here. There is absolutely zero reason, and I mean none, that a Clemson football team with multiple projected first round draft picks should have been spinning its proverbial wheels in the soggy Memorial Stadium turf against a team like Troy. Sure, the Trojans’ gameplan and execution of it were a smashing success as far as they were concerned, but under no circumstances should it have ever been in doubt who would win the game.
And to be blunt, had Troy won this game Clemson’s season, in terms of any meaningful respect and dignity, would have been over.
For the entirety of the first half it was a carbon copy of the LSU game offensively. Despite the “coach speak” from head coach Dabo Swinney following the loss to the ‘other’ Tigers, Clemson football still stubbornly refused to commit to the run. With terrible results.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik could get nothing established through the air and even threw a pick six inside the Tigers’ own five-yard line. Granted, the ball was tipped, but being in such disadvantageous field position in the first place was a direct result of the offensive ineptitude, up to that point, which had grounded what was supposed to be one of the best units in the country.
Thankfully, the Tigers found a portal (no pun intended) out of the Twilight Zone and into the real of taking care of business. And it started with, surprise, the run game! A Clemson football team that looked like it was dead in the water emerged from the locker room with its paws ablaze and the heretofore maligned Adam Randall took off.
Randall ended the game with over 100 yards rushing. And once Clemson established the ground game, the passing game followed. Concurrently, the defense responded with three interceptions in the second half that reversed the field position fortunes which had plagued the Tigers, and Clemson seized control of the game en route to a 27-16 victory.
Clemson RB Adam Randall Highlights vs. Troy
Of course, it never should have been remotely that close, but as the old sports adage goes, an ugly win is better than a pretty loss.
Perhaps Saturday’s second half effort was a system reset for Clemson football. Clemson fans sure hope so. The Tigers travel down I-85 to Atlanta this Saturday to take on a Georgia Tech team that is worlds better than Troy and who is perfectly capable of beating Clemson if they come out of the gate lifeless again. Here’s hoping that doesn’t happen.
At the end of the day, this Clemson football team is too talented not to find its stride. The Tigers are an experienced, athletic, physical squad and are perfectly capable of reaching and living up to the lofty expectations heaped upon them by the national media all summer and into the preseason. I truly believe this Clemson team can hurt a lot of feelings between now and December.
They simply have to put it all together. Saturday’s second half was a good start.
