Editor’s note: Each week, the Clemson Insider honors Clemson’s 2016 National Championship Team by reliving that week’s game on the schedule. Follow all season long as we talk to players and coaches who lived through the ups and downs of a dramatic season that brought Clemson its first national championship in 35 years.

No. 2 Clemson 30, Troy 24

CLEMSON – Nearly 3,000 years ago, Ancient Greeks learned not to underestimate Trojans, no matter how harmless they, or their wooden horse, might seem.

One early September day in 2016, No. 2 Clemson also learned a lesson about undervaluing Trojans, as Troy rolled into Memorial Stadium and handed the National Championship contenders a Bronze-Age-style battle — one that lasted far longer than anyone anticipated.

Just one week before the Trojan war, Clemson narrowly escaped an All-Tigers duel at Auburn, relying on defensive success and a late score to secure a 19-13 season-opening win to stay unscathed. 

But that was Auburn–a powerful SEC school just six years removed from winning a National Championship–at its home stadium. Plus, Gus Malzahn’s squad was looking to avenge two losses to Clemson in the last five years. Additionally, the orange-and-blue Tigers were hungry after coming off of a mediocre 2015 campaign.

It made sense for that game to be close.

But Troy was the get-right game for Clemson.

Or, at least, it was supposed to be.

But there was one problem, the Tigers’ offense, expected to be the best in the country entering the season, could not stop making mistakes. From quarterback Deshaun Watson’s three interceptions and litany of missed throws, to drops from wide receivers and a special teams gaffe, Clemson could not seem to lock in throughout the first half against the Trojans at Memorial Stadium.

After being favored by as many as 36 points against Troy, the Tigers only led 13-10 at the halftime break after scoring on only two of their eight offensive possessions, punting four times and turning the ball over twice. 

“I don’t know that we could play worse, to be honest with you,” head coach Dabo Swinney said after the game. “It’s hard to win when you make those types of mistakes.”

Some of the most noticeable mistakes came from Clemson receivers, who dropped a total of eight passes and cost Clemson an additional 178 yards– not including yards after the catch. For perspective, the Tigers did not have eight total drops until the fifth game of the 2015 season. 

For whatever reason, the problem was contagious for the Tigers’ usually sure-handed pass-catchers.

“Even (Hunter) Renfrow dropped one,” Swinney said. “He doesn’t ever drop a ball. Ever. And dadgum, he dropped one today. It’s contagious. It’s like we need some Ajax to wash that off of us, it’s unbelievable.”

The most memorable drop of the game, however, did not come from any pass. With just under two minutes to play in the first half and the Tigers leading by three, wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud returned a punt for a 74-yard touchdown, the longest Clemson return since C.J. Spiller’s 77-yard run in 2009.

The crowd burst into long-awaited applause. McCloud posed with his teammates as Memorial Stadium erupted. Here was the Clemson everyone expected — the team that had gone toe-to-toe with Alabama just eight months prior.

But wait.

McCloud had actually dropped the ball just short of the goal line, according to a replay reviewed by officials. What was originally ruled a game-changing touchdown was now a touchback for the Trojans, and Clemson’s lead was once again depleted. 

Just as soon as it started to swell, all the momentum in the building evaporated.

“You’re going to leave this game thinking about my mistake,” McCloud told media members in the postgame. 

However, he quickly gave fans something else to think about. After a quick encouragement from Swinney, McCloud went on to become the player of the game, recording 86 receiving yards on seven receptions.

“When (Swinney) told me to grow up, that’s what I had to do,” McCloud said.

While Clemson’s offensive players struggled to hang onto the ball, defensive lineman Christian Wilkins had no problem grabbing a one-yard touchdown catch in the Tigers’ “Jumbo Package,” early in the fourth quarter to extend Clemson’s lead to 20-10.

With the score, Wilkins became the first defensive lineman in program history to score out of an offensive formation, and gave the Tigers some much-needed insurance.

“We put the D-lineman in there to see if he could catch it and he did,” Swinney said with a smile.

Watson, who finished with 292 passing yards and three interceptions, found receiver Deon Cain for one last touchdown pass. Troy never surrendered, scoring two more late touchdowns to stay close behind the Tigers.

However, a late onside kick recovery from Clemson sealed the Trojans’ fate, and the Tigers narrowly improved to 2-0 on the young season with a 30-24 victory. The win marked Clemson’s 39th consecutive win over an unranked program.

On the other side of the ball, the Tigers’ defense caught three interceptions, their most in a single game since a win over Miami in 2015.

Despite the win and the mostly solid defensive play, some anticipatory Clemson fans were not pleased with the close call.

In turn, Watson, the Tigers’ leader who was firmly still in Heisman Trophy conversations, did not leave Memorial Stadium without delivering a message to his critics.

“Things are going to be messed up, everything is not going to be perfect,” he said. “Everybody, especially you guys in the media, wants to see us score 50 or 60 points, and everybody wants it now. We are not going to do that. We have to put in the work, we have to execute and we have to find our rhythm.”

Meanwhile, Clemson players danced in their home locker room after winning their 17th consecutive game in Death Valley, the nation’s longest win streak.

“It was awesome to see them celebrate the win,” Swinney said. “I’m never going to be a guy that does not appreciate a win.”

Reliving 2016 and Clemson’s first National Championship since 1981:

Week 1: Clemson’s Defense Wills a Win at Auburn

Note: 2016 National Championship Team to be honored

Saturday’s Georgia Southern game has been designated as Hall of Fame Day at Clemson, as 11 former Clemson student-athletes and administrators will be inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame over the weekend.

The game has also been designated as Football Reunion Day. Multiple Clemson teams celebrating anniversaries are being honored this weekend, including 50-year (1976), 25-year (2001), 10-year (2016) and five-year (2021) reunion teams.

Team members, coaches and staff from all four teams will be on hand, including members of the 2016 National Championship team, which rallied to beat Alabama in the 2017 CFP National Championship Game to win Clemson its first national championship in football in 35 years.