PHOENIX — Other college football programs tampered with Anthony Smith this winter, offering the Gophers’ star defensive end huge sums of money to go into the transfer portal and pick their program. But Smith wasn’t biting, and his big announcement in front of a national TV audience on Friday n ight should put an end to that. Minnesota Gophers defensive lineman Anthony Smith (0) photographed during the teams media day held at the Gibson/Nagurski complex in Minneapolis on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) After winning defensive Most Valuable Player in Minnesota’s 20-17 overtime win over New Mexico in the Rate Bowl, the redshirt junior told ESPN he will return to Minnesota for the 2026 season. On Wednesday, Smith was coy with reporters in Arizona, saying he wasn’t sure what his future would hold: either return to Minnesota, enter the transfer portal or head to the NFL. That decision came to the surface 48 hours later. “I wrote down what my goals were and I told (defensive line coach C.J. Robbins) I was going to get MVP and announce to everybody I was coming back” Smith said in the postgame news conference. “I made my decision pretty early in December. I definitely knew I wanted to come back. I knew how good our team was going to be next year for 2026. I wouldn’t want to miss that for the world.” In the Rate Bowl, Smith had six tackles, two sacks, two tackles for lost yards and two pass break-ups. One of those stops included a tackle for loss on a Lobos fake punt on fourth and 2 in the second half. “Great player,” New Mexico coach Jason Eck said postgame. The return of Smith is a huge boost for Minnesota; he finished the season with 12 1/2 sacks in 13 games. The U’s defensive line is losing a handful of seniors in Deven Eastern, Jalen Logan-Redding and Rushawn Lawrence, among others. Perich steps up Gophers safety Koi Perich made his biggest offensive impact this season in the Rate Bowl. With three catches and three rushes in the regular season, Perich had four grabs for 34 yards and two rushes for seven yards against the Lobos. Perich, however, has not yet made an announcement where he will play football in 2026. Related Articles Gophers pull off walk-off win in Rate Bowl, 20-17 over New Mexico Gophers receiver Jalen Smith steps up in Rate Bowl win Gophers football vs. New Mexico: Keys to game, how to watch, who has edge Gophers leaders chime in on tenuous future of bowl games Rate Bowl: Gophers goal for Drake Lindsey: to be ‘feared’ ...read more read less