Notre Dame’s margin for error was already razor-thin. Then the injury news hit.
With Malachi Toney ruled out because of an ankle injury that will require surgery, the No. 11 Fighting Irish head into Saturday night’s showdown with No.
1 Miami carrying even less wiggle room at home. For a team already staring at a steep climb in the College Football Playoff picture, losing Toney only sharpens the pressure.
The stakes were elevated even before the injury announcement. Notre Dame came into the week ranked fourth in the AP poll, but the CFP selection committee slotted the Irish at No. 11 in its first rankings, seven spots lower than their AP position and just inside the projected 12-team field. Miami, after staying unbeaten with a 38-35 win over North Carolina, earned the committee’s top spot.
That gap between the AP and CFP rankings turned heads Tuesday, especially with Notre Dame sitting behind three two-loss teams: No. 5 Alabama, No.
7 Texas and No. 10 Ole Miss.
Committee chairman Hunter Yurachek pointed to Notre Dame’s lack of a defining win as the reason the Irish landed where they did. Their only game against a team currently in the CFP Top 25 ended in a 28-24 loss at No. 9 BYU.
So far, Notre Dame’s seven wins have come against unranked opponents, which makes Saturday’s meeting with Miami the clearest chance to alter the committee’s view. It also means the Irish can’t afford many missteps after this one.
The schedule doesn’t offer much breathing room, either. SMU has had a solid season, but the source of Notre Dame’s best remaining win would not be enough to keep the Irish afloat if that ends up being their top résumé point.
In Other News...
Miami Fans Feared The Worst Until Irvins Real Message Hit
Michael Irvin sent Miami fans into a brief panic with a message he posted online, but the concern turned out to be about football, not his health. The Hall of Famer is fine, and the real source of his frustration is the loss of wide receiver Malachi Toney, who is set to miss an upcoming game after ankle surgery.
Toney is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks, leaving Miami to adjust without one of its pass-catching options as the season moves into a crucial stretch. The hope around the program is that he can work his way back in time for the College Football Playoff, which gives the injury a different kind of urgency even if the immediate scare around Irvin has passed. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Just Landed An Elite Receiver With An Extra Twist
Miami added another big piece to its receiver pipeline with the commitment of Brysen Wright, one of the nations top wideout prospects. Wright had plenty of high-major options, but Miami had been in the mix for a while, helped by the fact that he has made repeated visits and taken part in events around the program. For a Hurricanes staff trying to keep momentum on the recruiting trail, landing a player with his profile is the kind of move that can resonate well beyond a single pledge.
The extra twist is Wrights timeline, which changes the way Miami can plan around him and the rest of its class. His decision to reclassify to the 2027 cycle gives the Hurricanes a longer runway with a receiver who already arrives with strong high school production and plenty of attention attached to his name. With the Early Signing Period still ahead, Miamis class just got a little more dangerous, and there may still be more to come. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Lands No. 1 As Early CFP Debate Heats Up
The first College Football Playoff rankings of 2026 gave Miami exactly the kind of spotlight an unbeaten start can earn. The Hurricanes landed at No. 1 when the selection committee unveiled its initial top 25, putting them ahead of a field that also includes Georgia, Utah, Indiana and Alabama in the top five.
Now the real pressure begins, because these rankings are only a snapshot and the schedule ahead is expected to keep reshaping the conversation. With several ranked teams still lined up for key games, Miami will have to keep proving it belongs at the top while the committee watches how the rest of the contenders handle the next round of tests. [Read more 🡒]