What Anthony Smith's return means for Gophers football in 2026

Minnesota will have one of the best defensive linemen in college football next season.

Dec 26, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) celebrates after defeating the New Mexico Lobos in overtime during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Gophers received a late Christmas gift on Friday when star defensive end Anthony Smith announced that he was going to return to the program in 2026 after the team's Rate Bowl win over New Mexico.

"I just want to say one thing. I love this so much. I don't want to be on any other team, that's why I am coming back from my fifth year. Row the boat," he told ESPN in the postgame festivities.

BREAKING: Star Gophers DE Anthony Smith officially confirms that he’s returning to Minnesota next season.

Massive 2026 news!

pic.twitter.com/E0ShxpHMnD

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) December 27, 2025

Subscribe: Sign up to receive the free Gophers On SI newsletter

Smith dominated Friday's game with six total tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks and two deflections. He took home the Rate Bowl's defensive MVP.

"Yeah, I mean, Anthony will be the first to tell you, it's about the team defense first. You can't do it alone, right? But that was one of the best defensive performances I have watched a single individual have," Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said after the game.

Congratulations to @AgentAnt0, our #RateBowl Defensive Player of the Game!

2 sacks | 6 tackles | 4 tackles for loss 🌵🏈 pic.twitter.com/7NPopBzq7u

— Rate Bowl (@RateBowl) December 27, 2025

Smith was one of the most productive defensive linemen in college football in 2025. He finished the season with 38 total tackles and 12.5 sacks, which was the most in the entire Big Ten. Listed at 6-foot-6, 285 pounds, he proved himself as a future NFL player at the position. He's deciding to put those plans on hold and suit up for the Gophers in 2026.

The Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, native signed with Minnesota as a four-star high school recruit in the class of 2022. He had top offers from programs such as Penn State, Michigan and Ole Miss, and he wound up being the Gophers' top prospect in the cycle. After taking a redshirt in 2022, he quickly established himself as a difference maker in the Big Ten in 2023.

The Gophers are set to lose top interior defensive linemen Deven Eastern, Jalen Logan-Redding and Rushawn Lawrence this offseason. Smith will now return alongside rush ends Jaxon Howard and Karter Menz to make an intriguing group of returning talent up front.

Smith now has two straight years of elite production, and he looked like an NFL player on Friday night against New Mexico. Minnesota's defensive line will now have a legitimate All-American candidate to build around heading into 2026. Player retention has become a key to roster construction in modern college football, and the Gophers have retained a talent on the defensive line that any program in college football would love to have.