By admin 
Chase Smith had his best game as a Miami Hurricane on Saturday night at Clemson.
In a 41-13 win at Death Valley, the senior linebacker finished with nine tackles and five defensive stops (tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense), which led the team in those categories.
Read more Washington Coach Jedd Fisch Names Turning Point in Loss to USC
According to PFF, he earned a 91.4 run defense, which was by far the best for the Hurricanes. Smith graded out at 77.0 for his total defensive performance, which ranked third-best among Miami defenders.
What a great job of Chase Smith getting the Miami Hurricanes off the field.
Miami Hurricanes utilize a lucky penny (front) to condense the run inside, when Chase sees the open door?
No Hesitation and [email protected]/3YqrKPxlJF
– Roman #OBB (@Romancane) October 4, 2026
One of the more impressive stats was Smith only logging one missed tackle on the night. For reference, Miami was tagged with 16 missed tackles on the night.
The numbers only partly capture what Smith did in the moments that kept the game from tightening.
Late in the first half, Clemson had driven inside the Miami red zone and trailed 17-3. On fourth-and-2, Smith had a tremendous stop as the Tigers tried to trick the Miami defense.
That play summarized the night he had.
CHASE SMITH WHAT A PLAY!!!! pic.twitter.com/TtNGIgfK3a
– Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) October 4, 2026
Smith was around the ball in the run game and on short-yardage downs, the kind of work that does not always show up in the pass-rush column. Clemson finished with only 23 net rushing yards as a team, and Reynolds was credited with minus-22 yards on the ground after the sack total.
Smith’s impact was part of a broader effort that included 2.5 sacks from Damon Wilson II and additional sacks from Omar Thornton, Marquise Lightfoot, and Herbert Scroggins III.
Read more Ja’Marr Chase Injury Update Puts Bengals WR’s Status in Question After Hit vs. Jaguars
The production also marked a jump from Smith’s earlier 2026 line.
He entered the Clemson game with nine tackles through four contests, so Saturday’s performance had half of his production in just one night.
At 6-foot-2 and about 235 pounds, the Palm Bay, Fla., product has been a steady piece rather than a headline name, but a game like that can make him into someone that opposing offenses have to watch out for.
Miami closed the night with a second-half surge, a pick-six from JJ Dunnigan, and a defense that held Clemson to 13 points despite Reynolds throwing for 295 yards.
Smith’s contribution sat in the middle of that. He did not have the flashiest stat line on the sheet, but his impact all night was significant for Miami.
Player of the game has been Chase Smith https://t.co/h11ootDLgl
– Luke Chaney (@LChaney_) October 4, 2026
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest news.
Today’s best reads
- Miami’s Offensive Line Identity Starts To Solidify to the ‘Standard’
- How to Watch No. 4 Miami Football at Clemson
- Where Miami Football Ranks Ahead of Road Trip at Clemson
- Key Quotes From Mario Cristobal Ahead of Clemson Matchup
- Miami Stock Up, Stock Down After Hurricanes Beat Clemson in Death Valley
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/miami as Chase Smith’s Big Day Helps Miami Shut Down Clemson in Death Valley.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Read more College Football’s 5 Biggest ‘Loser’ After Week 5
This story was originally published October 4, 2026 at 10:45 AM.