Malachi Toney keeps forcing his way into the center of the Heisman conversation, and Friday night nearly pushed him into a little Miami history, too.
Against Wake Forest, the Miami sophomore hauled in 12 catches, finishing just one shy of the Hurricanes’ single-game school record. That mark belongs to Mike Harley Jr., who did it against Duke in 2021, and to Toney himself, who matched it against Pittsburgh last season.
In other words, this wasn’t a one-off. It was the latest entry in a pattern that’s getting harder to ignore.
Toney’s night ended with 114 receiving yards and a 2-yard touchdown in Miami’s 33-20 win over the Demon Deacons. He was banged up after halftime, but he still came out with another performance that strengthens his Heisman case and keeps the door open for a signature “Heisman moment” against a top-tier opponent.
The numbers back up the buzz. Toney now has 28 catches for 444 yards and five touchdowns this season, and each of those totals sits among the top five in college football. If he’s going to win the Heisman, those numbers have to stay in that range.
Here’s where he stands nationally:
In receptions, Toney is tied for second with 28, just behind Baylor’s Gavin Freeman at 29. He shares that spot with Maryland’s Chris Durr Jr. The rest of the top group includes Illinois’ Collin Dixon and Virginia Tech’s Luke Reynolds at 25, then Rutgers’ KJ Duff, Florida Atlantic’s Kelby Valsin and San Jose State’s Carson Clark at 24.
In receiving yards, Oregon State’s Jesse Legree leads with 476. Toney is right behind him at 444, followed by Duff at 419, Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith at 400 and Arizona State’s Reed Harris at 374.
And in receiving touchdowns, Illinois’ Collin Dixon leads with seven. Duff and Indiana’s Charlie Becker have six apiece, while Toney is part of a three-way tie for fourth with five, alongside Harris and Buffalo’s Chance Morrow.
Toney has now produced 12-catch games three times in the last 10 months, including twice already as a sophomore. That kind of production is exactly why his Heisman hype isn’t fading - it’s growing.
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