Week 1 didn’t just open the college football season. It put two wide receivers on the Heisman board immediately.
Miami’s Malachi Toney and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith both came out swinging in blowout wins, and both looked every bit like players who intend to stay in the conversation. Miami handled Stanford 45-6 on Friday night, while Ohio State rolled past Ball State 56-3.
Toney was the first to put on a show. On Miami’s first snap of the night, he shook loose a Stanford safety and turned a catch from new quarterback Darian Mensah into a 48-yard gain. He kept the pressure on from there, grabbing a 23-yard touchdown on that same drive and flashing the Heisman pose after the score.
He wasn’t done celebrating, either. On Miami’s next possession, Toney found the end zone again on a two-yard catch.
Stanford tried to adjust in the second half, but it didn’t matter. Mensah hit him again for a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter, stretching Miami’s lead to 42-6.
By the end of the night, Toney’s line looked more like a video game than a debut: 12 catches, 234 yards, and three touchdowns. He averaged 19.5 yards per reception and set a new school record for receiving yards.
"It's just full throttle all the time," Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said of Toney after the game. "We knew he was going to be better.
He gained about 10, 12 pounds of muscle, so his accels, decels, in and out of breaks, all that stuff is better, and he didn't even want to come out of the game. We're blessed to have him."
Smith answered the next day in Columbus. On Ohio State’s opening offensive possession against Ball State, Julian Sayin connected with him for a 48-yard strike down the right sideline. Later, in the second quarter, Sayin found Smith again for a two-yard touchdown, and Smith finished the play with a clean toe-tap catch in the back of the end zone.
Smith closed the win with eight receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns, plus one rush for five yards. He averaged 18.9 yards per catch and made his own Heisman statement along the way.
Malachi Toney’s stat line edged Smith’s, but both receivers gave their cases plenty of traction in Week 1.
Malachi Toney stats: 12 receptions
234 yards receiving 3 touchdowns
19.5 yards per catch
Jeremiah Smith stats: 8 receptions
151 yards 2 touchdowns
18.9 yards per catch 1 rush carry for five yards
Draft Kings has Smith slightly ahead in the Heisman race at +1000, with Toney at +1300. Miami quarterback Darian Mensah is listed at +500, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr at +800, and Texas quarterback Arch Manning is tied with Smith at +1000.
The award usually ends up in a quarterback’s hands. The last receiver to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Devonta Smith in 2020. But after one weekend, both Toney and Smith made their cases loud and clear.
Smith has the longer résumé, with 171 catches for 2,709 yards and 29 touchdowns across his three seasons at Ohio State. Toney’s career total now sits at 121 receptions for 1,445 yards and 13 touchdowns, with his latest breakout adding to a profile that already had plenty of buzz. Toney is actually supposed to be a true freshman in 2026, after reclassifying in 2024 to join the Canes a year early.
In Other News...
Ohio States Receiver Rotation Just Got More Complicated Before Week 1
Ohio States receiver picture got a little murkier heading into Week 1 after Kyle Parker was ruled out for the opener against Ball State because of an injury. Ryan Day had already flagged Parker as dealing with a minor issue, and now the Buckeyes will have to open the season without one of the players in their wideout mix.
Chris Henry Jr. and Brock Boyd are among the receivers expected to get more snaps with Parker unavailable, which only adds another layer to a position group already under the microscope in camp. For a team trying to sort out roles early, even a short-term absence can matter, and this one gives Ohio State an early look at its depth before the real tests arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State's Week 1 Start Just Added Fuel To A Huge Debate
Ohio States season opener did plenty to reinforce why the Big Ten already feels like the league to beat, with Julian Sayin looking sharp in his first extended action and the Buckeyes setting the tone early against Ball State. Across the conference, Indiana also came out strong behind new quarterback Josh Hoover, while Rutgers, Michigan State and Nebraska each left a little more uncertainty on the board after mixed openings.
Curt Cignettis postgame comments about the Big Ten being superior to the SEC only added to a debate that has been simmering for months, and former Ohio State coach Urban Meyers praise for the leagues strength gave it even more oxygen. For Buckeyes fans, the opening weekend was less about settling anything outright than about reminding everyone that Ohio State is already in the middle of a bigger argument about where the sports best football is being played. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Opener Made One Position Battle A Lot More Interesting
Ohio States season opener looked comfortable on the scoreboard, a 56-3 win that still left enough rough edges to keep the coaching staff busy. Jeremiah Smith delivered the kind of opening performance that reminds everyone why he is already such a focal point of the offense, piling up 151 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches, and Devin McCuin also made his mark as the Buckeyes worked through stretches of inconsistency on both sides of the ball.
One of the more intriguing takeaways came away from the spotlight plays, where freshman Legend Bey flashed enough on offense to suggest there is something to build on. His night also came with some costly special teams errors, though, and that is the kind of detail that can reshape how quickly a young player gets trusted in bigger moments. At quarterback, the depth chart also appeared to settle a little further, with Tavien St. Clair looking more like he is chasing the No. 3 job than threatening the top of the line behind Julian Sayin. [Read more 🡒]