Miami’s best weapon is going under the knife. Wide receiver Malachi Toney suffered a high-ankle sprain in practice Wednesday that needs surgery and will keep him out multiple weeks, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, as first reported by ClutchPoints. He’ll miss Saturday’s showdown with No. 11 Notre Dame.
The good news for the Canes: ClutchPoints reports the surgery is meant to get him back in time for the College Football Playoff.
The IAHHM Take
This is a gut punch. Through eight games Toney has 73 catches (second in the country), 1,027 receiving yards (third) and 13 touchdowns (tied for second). He’s already viewed as a top pick in the 2028 NFL Draft. You don’t replace that. You just try to survive without it.
The load now shifts to Duke transfer Cooper Barkate and tight end Elijah Lofton, with quarterback Darian Mensah spreading it around. After Notre Dame, Miami closes with Duke, Virginia Tech and Boston College, so a lot of ACC country will be watching how that offense looks with No. 1 on the sideline. Toney was just in Chapel Hill last weekend, too, so Tar Heel fans already know what kind of problem he is.
The timeline is what matters. If Miami wins the ACC and earns a first-round bye, it won’t play again until at least Dec. 30. If it plays in the first round on Dec. 18 or 19, Toney has just over six weeks to heal. That bye could be worth a lot more than seeding.
Can Miami still make a real playoff run without Toney at full speed, or is this the injury that changes the whole bracket?
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Source: ClutchPoints
