3 Troy Trojans Who Can Hurt the Clemson Tigers

As the Clemson Tigers look to rebound from their season-opening loss, Saturday’s matchup with the Troy Trojans offers a chance to clean up mistakes and get back on track.

Ahead of Saturday night’s matchup, Clemson Tigers on SI takes a look at three notable opposing players to keep an eye on.

Tae Meadows, Running Back

After carrying the ball just four times during his first three seasons at Troy, Meadows has finally earned his opportunity and has capitalized on it this far.

During the Trojans’ 38-20 win over Nicholls State, Meadows ran the ball 23 times for a total of 186 yards and a rushing touchdown, averaging a jaw-dropping 8.1 yards per carry.

At 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, Meadows brings a balanced blend of speed, power and vision to Troy’s offense. While he may not possess a singular trademark trait, like elite breakaway speed or a punishing low center of gravity, he has combined his diverse skill set to deliver an impressive showing in his first start with the Trojans.

While playing at Hadley High School in Roanoke, Ala., Meadows set the program’s single-season touchdown record by finding the end zone 33 times. He may have had to wait his turn, but Meadows seems ready to take the Sun Belt Conference by storm this season.

Goose Crowder, Quarterback

He may not have turned heads the way Meadows did last week, but Crowder put together an efficient performance while leading the Trojans to a win last week.

While playing against Nicholls State, Crowder threw for 144 yards and three touchdowns without turning the ball over. It may not turn heads, but a coach can’t ask for much more from his quarterback after leading his team to a win

Crowder opened the 2024 season as Troy’s starter, but a season-ending injury sidelined him after opening the year completing 43-62 passes for five touchdowns and no interceptions.

Luis Medina, Defensive Tackle

He may not steal the show from a statistical perspective, but Medina’s impact in the trenches can’t go without being mentioned.

While earning All-Sun Belt honors during the 2024 campaign, Medina made 17 tackles and a tackle-for-loss. While helping clog the interior, the Summerville, Georgia native helped anchor one of the Sun Belt’s top run defenses  (143.3 rushing yards per game).

Clemson may have one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country, but Medina will spend a great deal of time matched up against center Ryan Linthicum, who has some experience but hasn’t been a full-time starter until this season. As Linthicum continues to adapt to life as an everyday contributor, Medina should provide him with a solid test early in the season.

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