Bryant Wesco Jr. shines in Clemson’s 27-16 comeback win over Troy, leading the Tigers with 118 yards and 2 TDs. Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Clemson Tigers WR Steps Up with Antonio Williams Absent

Originally posted on Clemson Tigers on SI
By Angelo Feliberty | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 2:44 PM ET

With starting receiver and projected first-round pick Antonio Williams sidelined after a hamstring injury on Clemson’s opening drive against LSU, head coach Dabo Swinney was left looking for someone to rise to the occasion against Troy.

After a sluggish first half that produced just 114 yards of offense and a 16-3 deficit, the Clemson Tigers had nowhere to go but up, and that’s precisely what they did to finish out the game as they went on to score 24 unanswered to win the contest 27-16.

Former Freshman All-American Bryant Wesco Jr. led that turnaround, and he wasted no time showing why he was one of the most highly touted recruits in the country coming out of high school.

“[At halftime] they were just talking about how we gotta respond,” Wesco said post-game. “Things can’t go your way all the time, so we were just going out there with next play mentality, always next half mentality.”

Wesco Jr. led the team in every receiving category, racking up 118 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches. Only one other receiver had more than one reception in the game, including Tyler Brown with four.

This angle of @Bryantwesco19’s second touchdown >>> pic.twitter.com/hwgf0fiUEg
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) September 7, 2025

While Wesco stole the spotlight, fellow sophomore receiver TJ Moore has had a slower start to the season after flashing big potential as a freshman, tallying only five receptions for 56 yards in the first two games of this season.

“He’s just gotta finish, he’ll be alright,” Swinney said about Moore. “He’s too good of a player. The first couple games, there’s been too many balls off his hands (drops), but he’s elite and he’ll respond.”

Still, Moore’s early struggles don’t erase what he showed last fall. As true freshmen, he and Wesco burst onto the scene together, combining for 1,359 yards and 10 touchdowns while establishing themselves as one of College Football’s most promising young receiving duos.

Wesco’s dominant performance against Troy showed why he’s been viewed as one of the nation’s most dynamic young playmakers since arriving at Clemson.

He stepped into the spotlight and delivered a performance that reminded fans of what the Tigers’ passing game can be at its best. His 118-yard, two-touchdown night wasn’t just a response to adversity; it was a statement that he’s always ready.

With Williams still questionable heading into Clemson’s Week 3 contest against Georgia Tech, Wesco looks to continue his rise as one of Cade Klubnik’s go-to playmakers and a cornerstone of the Tigers’ offense this season.

This article first appeared on Clemson Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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