Chase Smith’s Big Day Helps Miami Shut Down Clemson in Death Valley
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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.
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.
— Roman #OBB (@Romancane) October 4, 2026
Miami Hurricanes utilize a lucky penny (front) to condense the run inside, when Chase sees the open door?
No Hesitation and BANG!!!!!@OrangeBowlBoys pic.twitter.com/3YqrKPxlJF
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.
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
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Jordan Lopez is a Miami-based sports writer and FIU sports journalism graduate who specializes in college football and the Miami Hurricanes. A lifelong Miami resident, Jordan has a deep understanding of the local sports landscape and brings a unique perspective to his coverage after having the opportunity to play college basketball. He's also written for Predominantly Orange (Denver Broncos), StateoftheU (Hurricanes football), and other sports, while also drawing on his background as a former athlete and now high school basketball coach to provide an informed perspective on games. Jordan's also a huge Dexter fan!
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