Miami’s Saturday night matchup with Notre Dame took on a new dimension Wednesday after star receiver Malachi Toney injured his ankle at practice. The injury could keep the Heisman Trophy contender out for several weeks.
The No. 1 Hurricanes were already considered underdogs for their trip to South Bend. Now coach Mario Cristobal may be without his leading offensive playmaker behind quarterback Darian Mensah.
Toney left practice and went to a nearby medical facility for evaluation. Miami initially said its medical staff was assessing the injury and that it would provide updates when appropriate. Later Wednesday, after an MRI and X-ray, reports said Toney would need ankle surgery.
Sources described the injury as a high ankle sprain. Toney is expected to have TightRope surgery, with Miami hoping he can return in four to six weeks for the College Football Playoff. That timeline is an optimistic one, though, and his recovery will be closely watched.
Notre Dame’s odds shifted as news of the injury emerged, with several sportsbooks moving the Fighting Irish from five-point favorites to 6.5-point favorites by Wednesday evening.
Toney has been a major part of Miami’s offense this season. After the win over North Carolina last weekend, he had 1,027 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 73 catches. What the Hurricanes can manage without him is now an immediate question.
The injury also adds another wrinkle to the playoff picture. If Miami loses Saturday without Toney, the committee’s rankings over the following weeks will draw extra attention. Ohio State, for instance, has already faced scrutiny after playing without quarterback Julian Sayin in its loss to USC.
Notre Dame, ranked 11th in the first CFP poll of 2026, has plenty at stake as well. The Fighting Irish have yet to record a signature win, and BYU is the only ranked opponent on their schedule that appears in the playoff committee’s top 25.
CFP chairman Hunter Yurachek said Notre Dame’s résumé lacks a standout victory so far. The team lost its only matchup against a top-25 opponent, at BYU, while its next strongest win came against Wisconsin at a neutral site. Yurachek said the home game against Miami gives Notre Dame an important chance to strengthen its case, adding that the committee still regards the Irish highly.
After facing Miami, Notre Dame is scheduled to play Boston College, SMU and Syracuse. SMU is currently the only one of those three teams with a winning record.
Until Wednesday, Notre Dame’s place in the playoff rankings looked likely to dominate the conversation ahead of the game. Now Miami’s response to losing one of its biggest offensive threats is part of the story, too.
