Clemson welcomes Troy to Memorial Stadium this weekend, and while the Trojans might not be a Power Four opponent, they bring a physical brand of football that will test the Tigers in the trenches. Head coach Dabo Swinney made it clear in his weekly press conference that Troy looks much different from the spread-heavy, pass-first teams of years past. Instead, the Trojans rely on an old-school, run-first approach with multiple tight ends, heavy personnel groupings, and a commitment to winning at the line of scrimmage.
Last Time Out
Troy opened its 2025 season at home against Nicholls and came away with a 38–20 victory. The game didn’t start the way they wanted, it was a struggle early on, as the Trojans trailed 10–7 at halftime and even found themselves down 17–7 in the third quarter. But the offense exploded late, putting up 28 points in the fourth quarter to secure the win. That kind of second-half turnaround shows resilience, something Clemson will need to be prepared for if the game is close late.
Ground-and-Pound Offense
The Trojans’ offensive identity is built around the run game. They rushed for 272 yards in the opener, leaning heavily on starting running back Tae Meadows, who set the tone with 186 yards on 23 carries, including a 47-yard burst and one touchdown.
Quarterback Goose Crowder also adds a running element. He tallied 43 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, showing he can keep plays alive and hurt defenses with his legs. Through the air, Crowder was efficient, he finished 14-of-24 for 144 yards and three touchdown passes.
A key part of Troy’s passing attack is the tight end position. It’s been a steady scoring source, as a tight end has found the end zone in five of the Trojans’ last six games. Against Nicholls, tight end Ethan Connor led the team in receptions (4 for 20 yards) and sealed the win with a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Expect Connor and the other tight ends to play a big role in Troy’s game plan against Clemson.
Defense: Creating Havoc
Troy’s defense looked disruptive in the opener, generating four sacks and eight tackles for loss. Linebacker Jordan Stringer anchored the unit with nine total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. In the secondary, cornerback Jaquez White turned in a strong performance, finishing with eight tackles (six solo) and an interception.
That mix of front-seven pressure and opportunistic secondary play gives the Trojans confidence in forcing mistakes, something Clemson’s offense will need to protect against.
Dabo Swinney on Troy
Swinney emphasized that Troy is far from the wide-open, air-raid team Clemson last saw in 2016.
“They’re different in years past. You think of Troy, man, they’re four and five wides and they’re slinging the ball all over the field. That ain’t what you see when you turn the tape on with these dudes,” Swinney said. “They’ll probably have more personnel groupings than anybody we play… This is a team that runs the football, and it’s an old-school approach.”
Swinney also made it clear what kind of test this will be for his defense:
“From a defensive standpoint, you better want to tackle. If you don’t want to tackle in this game, you better pull a hamstring… because it’s going to be a physical football game and there just is no other way. It’s just how they play the game. ”
What It Means for Clemson
The Tigers will face a Troy team that thrives on wearing down defenses with physical play. Containing Meadows and Crowder on the ground will be priority number one, while also keeping an eye on the tight ends in red zone situations. Defensively, Troy will bring pressure and look to limit Clemson’s rhythm on offense after a weak showing against LSU last week.
This isn’t the kind of game where Clemson can afford to sleepwalk. Troy’s style of play is designed to keep things close, shorten the game, and make opponents uncomfortable.
