Adam Randall Provides Massive Spark for Clemson in Win Over Troy

CLEMSON, S.C. – Courtesy of a crucial rally in the second half, led by senior running back Adam Randall, the Clemson Tigers dodged a potentially devastating blow against Troy on Saturday afternoon.

Following a rather underwhelming opening two quarters of play, Randall served as a massive spark for Clemson after halftime, headlining their 27 unanswered points to propel the Tigers over the Trojans.

“We knew that we needed a spark,” Randall said. “We knew we needed to get the offense going. We hadn’t played well in the first half…we knew that we had to correct some things in the second half and get to it.”

Clemson totaled just 17 rushing yards in the first half, including minus four yards in the second quarter. However, Randall flipped the script later in the game and finished with 112 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries, illustrating a fairly evident tale of two halves – not just for Randall, but for the Tigers as a whole.

Clemson leaned on Adam Randall in the run game against Troy. 💪🐅

He finished with 21 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown to help power the win.@ClemsonFB | @ClemsonTigers | #ALLIN pic.twitter.com/0hvlbOd8Ju
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) September 7, 2025

“For me, personally, [in the] first half, I was being a little bit impatient,” Randall said. “I think I needed to slow the game down a little bit.”

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior ran for 59 yards in Clemson’s opening drive of the third quarter, tallying rushes of seven yards, 30 yards, 10 yards, and 11 yards en route to a 1-yard touchdown run to cap off the Tigers’ 75-yard scoring drive that cut the Troy lead to 16-10.

Clemson fed Randall a heavy amount for the remainder of the second half, providing the Tigers with a reliable source of offensive production.

Head coach Dabo Swinney had high praise for the former wide receiver, who Swinney said could be one of the “great stories of college football” over the offseason.

“[We] got Adam Randall going,” Swinney said. “What a gutsy game for him, too. 21 for 112, and 165 all-purpose yards. I was really proud of Adam, and just thought he made some tough, tough runs.”

This is certainly an aspect of the 27-16 victory to build on for the Tigers, as they took a large step from last weekend’s stagnant offensive performance in their loss to LSU.

The Bayou Bengals virtually depleted Clemson’s rushing attack, posting just 31 rushing yards on 20 carries in the season opener. Randall recorded just 16 yards and a touchdown on five touches and failed to make a significant impact in the matchup.

Now, after exploding for his first 100-yard game of his career at running back, Randall exhibited satisfaction with the outing and appreciation for his new role in the offense, but he’s focused on Clemson’s first road test at Georgia Tech next week.

“I mean, shoot, it’s something I haven’t done since high school. I feel like in high school, I would have 100 yards in the first half or the first quarter,” Randall said. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity, but I’m ready for next week to start ACC play. It’s real consequences next week.”