Malachi Toney keeps stacking records, and Miami’s sophomore star just added another one to a season that already looks historic.
With his latest touchdown against North Carolina, Toney moved into the top spot for single-season receiving touchdowns in Miami history. He now has 13 this year, passing Michael Irvin’s career total of 11 and tying Leonard Hankerson for the most receiving touchdowns in a single season by a Cane, set in 2010.
The Heisman front-runner didn’t exactly explode out of the gate in Chapel Hill. In the first half, he had four catches for 27 yards and a score. That came on the heels of his latest milestone from the previous week, when he broke Miami’s single-game receptions record against Pitt - the same opponent against which he had broken that mark as a freshman.
North Carolina made a point of loading up on him, and Miami still found ways to keep the offense moving. Toney was targeted only three times in the second half, but each catch seemed to come with a little more impact than the last.
"This route from Malachi Toney should be illegal" pic.twitter.com/OFE80n8DDr
He finished with seven receptions for 75 yards, a relatively quiet line for a player who was seeing double teams as soon as he stepped off the bus in Chapel Hill. Even with the extra attention, Toney stayed composed while other Miami receivers took advantage of the space the Tar Heels gave them.
"I think our offense is really finding ways to get the ball to others when they're trying to take away one guy," Cristobal said after the game. "They were bracketing Malachi all night, and the ball kept spreading out to other guys. So just a way to keep going."
Miami piled up 274 passing yards from Darian Mensah, which helped keep the offense balanced. But when the Hurricanes needed a play, the ball still found Toney.
And he’s not done. Miami still has four regular-season games left, which gives Toney more chances to keep rewriting the program record book. He’s only a sophomore, and the way this season is going, the history books may need a fresh chapter before long.
Next up is Notre Dame, where all eyes will be on a matchup with a potentially healthy Lenard Moore and the challenge he presents to Miami’s most dangerous weapon.
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Sophomore Jayden Sanders is expected to step into the lineup in McKinneys place, which gives Miami a notable opening to test a defense that has leaned on continuity at corner. The timing matters, too, with McKinneys return now pushed toward the College Football Playoffs, leaving Notre Dame to sort out a key spot just as the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]
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Miamis escape at North Carolina was the kind of win that keeps a season moving, but it also left plenty for Mario Cristobals staff to sort through. The Hurricanes survived 38-35 in Chapel Hill for their first victory over the Tar Heels in six tries, yet the final score did not hide how shaky things looked on defense for long stretches. North Carolina kept finding answers on third down, and the Tar Heels ability to extend drives put Miami under constant pressure.
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Tennessee's Next Home Test Could Shift The SEC Race Fast
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For Miami, the bigger picture is less about style points and more about how quickly the playoff race can tighten if the right teams keep winning around them. The rankings are being shaped by performances on the field and the pressure of what comes next, and the Hurricanes are right in that current. With so many heavyweight games still ahead, one result can change the conversation fast, and Miamis next step may prove just as important as the one it already took. [Read more 🡒]