Rueben Bain Jr. Tabbed with Weekly ACC Honors
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Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. has been named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the second time this season following his dominant performance in the Hurricanes’ 26-7 victory over Florida on Sept. 20 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Bain anchored a Miami defense that limited the Gators to just 141 total yards, their fewest in a game since 1999. Florida also failed to reach 10 points for the first time since 2022, scored 10 or fewer in consecutive games for the first time since 1989, and went 0-for-13 on third down, marking its worst third-down performance since 1998.
Bain turned in one of the best outings of his career. The Miami native totaled 10 quarterback pressures, seven tackles, one tackle for loss and 0.5 sacks, earning a stellar 93.8 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade. Hiss constant presence in the backfield fueled a defensive effort that resulted in three sacks, seven tackles for loss and one interception, while holding Florida to just seven points.
Behind Bain and the Miami defensive front, Miami allowed only 16 rushing yards on 22 attempts (0.7 yards per carry) and 125 passing yards on 31 attempts (4.0 yards per attempt). The Hurricanes forced eight punts and held the Gators to only seven first downs across four quarters.
This is Bain’s second ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week award this season. His first came earlier this fall when the Miami native delivered six tackles, 0.5 sacks and a fourth-quarter interception off a thrice-deflected pass, which he returned 12 yards to set up a Hurricanes field goal that pushed the lead to 24-14.
The Hurricanes are on a bye week, before they set off for the first road game of the season against No. 8 Florida State on Oct. 4. Bain will be a massive name to talk about as he continues to climb the Heisman ranks as one of the best players in the country.
Bain is one of the most unblockable edge rushers in the country. His draft stock also rises as he could push to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Courtesy of Miami Athletics
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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