Malachi Toney could be walking into South Bend with a slight limp as the Miami Hurricanes take on Notre Dame in Week 10. Recent reports suggest the superstar wide receiver is banged up and has been nursing an ankle injury.
Mario Cristobal is very tight-lipped and vague on injuries, so don't expect much, if anything out of the coach. With this being a non-conference game, Miami is not required to release an injury report.
NEWS: Miami star Malachi Toney is dealing with an injured ankle and his status for Saturday’s game against Notre Dame is uncertain, sources tell me and @max_olson. Toney is expected to press and attempt to play, given the magnitude of the game. pic.twitter.com/Uo38qFaLM8
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 4, 2026
There's no word on whether Toney suffered the injury in Week 9 against North Carolina or if it happened in practice. The severity of the injury and how much it could affect his status for Saturday's game is unknown.
Malachi Toney's ankle injury presents a new concern for Miami
The reports of Toney's injury are a surprise because the sophomore has been so durable in his 24 games with the Hurricanes. He spent the offseason transforming his body to add more muscle. The additional bulk has not affected his speed or ability to make an opposing defense look silly. It is worth noting that Toney did miss a few plays against FSU with a lower-body injury.
Toney leads all Power 4 receivers with 73 catches, and his 1,027 yards is second to Ohio State's Jeremiah State (1,067 yards). His 13 touchdown receptions are tied with Smith. He comes into Saturday's game playing his best football of the season. Toney has 34 catches for 438 yards and seven touchdowns in the past three games.
“He has the trust of the entire organization, certainly the quarterback, Cristobal said after Toney's 16-catch performance against Pitt in Week 8. "He does an unbelievable job of creating separation. Elite route running, gets in and out of stuff, really fast and can run right by you as well, so when you have a player that can beat you every way possible, it’s really hard to cover.'
Miami Herald columnist Barry Jackson said that his sources within the program suggest that Toney's injury is not serious, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be good to go against Notre Dame.
One UM assistant coach downplayed the severity of the injury to associates at midday, but only Malachi will know if he will be able to play and his camp is keeping that to themselves. We'll see. https://t.co/rHWcswNd6K
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) November 4, 2026
Mario Cristobal might have to make a tough decision
Toney will want to play on Saturday. He is the definition of a gamer, and as long as he can walk, Toney will want to be on the field against the Irish and go head-to-head with two-time All-American cornerback Leonard Moore.
Cristobal, however, has to think about the big picture. If Toney is questionable and the threat of a nagging injury turning into something worse is high, the coach might want to limit his participation in the game. As much as the Hurricanes want to beat Notre Dame, the ultimate goal is a CFP Championship. The best path to that remains winning the ACC Championship, and Cristobal will need Toney to be healthy for that game and the playoff run that will follow.
We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. The game is still a few days away, and Toney is one of the hardest-working players in college football. He's going to do everything he can to be ready for Saturday, but if it doesn't look right, Cristobal has to step in and make the right decision.
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