Miami’s biggest game of the season may now come with its biggest question mark.
On Wednesday, Hurricanes star receiver Malachi Toney injured his ankle in practice, leaving his status uncertain for Saturday’s showdown with Notre Dame. Sources told CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz that the hope is the injury isn’t serious, and Toney has not been ruled out yet, but he is still being evaluated.
That’s a major development for the No. 1 team in the country, because Toney has been the engine of Miami’s passing game all season. He enters the week with 73 catches, 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns, production that has made him one of the Heisman Trophy favorites alongside quarterback Darian Mensah.
Even if Toney is available against Notre Dame, any limitation would change the feel of Miami’s offense. The Hurricanes rely on him to stretch the field, create explosive plays and force defenses to account for him on every snap. Against a Notre Dame defense that should already be well-prepared for the matchup, that kind of uncertainty matters.
Toney’s role goes well beyond raw numbers. He accounted for 35.1% of Miami’s receptions, 38.6% of its receiving yards and 46.4% of its receiving touchdowns this season. Cooper Barkate is next on the team in all three categories with 28 catches for 372 yards and four touchdowns, but he doesn’t bring the same game-breaking presence.
Miami also uses Toney all over the formation, which gives Shannon Dawson flexibility in how he attacks defenses. That versatility makes it harder for opponents to settle into one answer. If Toney is less dynamic, or unavailable altogether, Notre Dame can devote more attention to the run game.
That matters because Miami has been strong on the ground too. The Hurricanes are 21st nationally in rushing offense at 202.5 yards per game and 10th in yards per attempt at 5.49. Mark Fletcher Jr. and Javian Mallory form one of the country’s better backfield duos, but their effectiveness is tied to the threat Toney creates on the outside.
Notre Dame would then face a different kind of choice: crowd the box to slow the run, or keep help deep to protect against Toney. If the receiver can’t go or isn’t at full speed, that balancing act becomes much easier for the Irish.
The injury also lands at a tricky time for Toney’s Heisman push. Saturday’s game was shaping up as a prime national stage for him and Mensah to make a statement.
Before the injury news, Toney was second in the Heisman odds at +290 at FanDuel Sportsbook, behind Mensah at +170. After the update, Toney fell to +800 and dropped to fourth.
The ripple effect reaches Mensah as well. If Toney is limited or out, Miami’s passing production would almost certainly take a hit, which could also dent the quarterback’s Heisman case.
The odds shifted quickly. Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith moved to the top spot at +170, Mensah slipped to +200, and Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr jumped to +700 as the Irish became a 6.5-point favorite over Miami.
In Other News...
Notre Dame's Miami Test Suddenly Centers On One Huge Uncertainty
Miamis buildup to Notre Dame has taken on a little extra uncertainty with Malachi Toney working through an ankle injury. The issue is not believed to be serious, and the expectation is that he will try to play, but his availability has become one of the most closely watched details heading into the matchup.
Toney has been a central part of Miamis offense all season, averaging 128.4 yards per game with 13 touchdowns in eight games. For Notre Dame, that makes his status worth tracking right up to kickoff, because even a limited version of him changes the way Miami can attack. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Got A CFP Reality Check Before Miami
The first College Football Playoff rankings have already given Notre Dame a sharper read on where it stands, and it is not quite the same picture the AP Top 25 has painted. The committees initial release showed a clear gap between perception and playoff positioning, with the SEC stacking the board and even some teams landing higher in the CFP pecking order than they do in the weekly poll. For the Irish, the message was straightforward: style points only go so far when the rsum is still missing the kind of signature win the committee tends to reward.
Hunter Yurachek said the challenge of ranking teams gets complicated in a season like this, and Notre Dame is feeling that reality heading into Miami. The Irish remain very much in the conversation, but the early playoff math suggests they have work to do if they want to climb, especially with the committee weighing more than record and reputation. For a team trying to build momentum in November, the rankings serve as both a warning and a reminder that the biggest tests still matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Got A Playoff Warning Fans Cant Ignore
The first College Football Playoff rankings brought a jolt for Notre Dame, with ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit saying he was surprised the Irish landed at No. 11 behind three two-loss teams. For a program that has spent the fall trying to build a playoff case, the placement was a reminder that the committees view can shift quickly, and that every remaining game carries real weight.
Notre Dames next chance to change that picture comes against top-ranked Miami, a matchup Herbstreit pointed to as the one that could define where the Irish stand in the playoff race. A win would likely push Notre Dame into the top six or seven and strengthen its path, while the broader safety net remains clear: finish in the top 12 and the Irish earn an automatic playoff bid. [Read more 🡒]