Miami has endured its share of devastating injuries throughout its football history, but few have arrived with the timing and circumstances surrounding Malachi Toney's latest setback. The Hurricanes are undefeated, ranked No. 1 in the CFP rankings and preparing for to go on the road against No. 11 Notre Dame, only to lose the player who has been the centerpiece of their offense.
The news prompted an emotional reaction Thursday from Dan Le Batard, who described Toney's injury as heartbreaking during The Dan Le Batard Show.
Malachi Toney’s injury is one of the most heartbreaking things that we’ve had to endure as UM fans pic.twitter.com/gwE5Z3bgha
— The Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) November 5, 2026
Le Batard questioned why this particular injury felt especially painful, pointing to Miami's return to national prominence after years of disappointment and the significance of Saturday's rivalry matchup.
Toney suffered a high ankle sprain during Wednesday's practice and is expected to undergo surgery, potentially sidelining him for four to six weeks.
Miami has experienced similar setbacks before, including several involving future NFL stars during national championship pursuits. Some teams managed to overcome those losses, while others struggled to recover their previous form. Here are the most notable examples from Hurricanes history.
Here are the most notable examples from Hurricanes history.
Melvin Bratton, 1987
One of Miami's earliest examples of a devastating injury during a championship run came in the 1988 Orange Bowl, when star fullback Melvin Bratton suffered a serious knee injury against Oklahoma.
Bratton had been outstanding before leaving the game, catching nine passes for 102 yards and a touchdown as the second-ranked Hurricanes defeated No. 1 Oklahoma 20-14 to secure their second national championship.
The injury did not prevent Miami from winning the title, but it substantially altered Bratton's professional future. A potential first-round NFL draft selection before the injury, Bratton fell to the sixth round in 1988 and missed the following season while recovering.
Clinton Portis, 2000
Miami suffered a significant injury during practice in September 2000 when running back Clinton Portis fractured three metatarsal bones in his right foot.
Portis had emerged as an explosive option behind starter James Jackson, rushing for 133 yards on nine carries in the season opener against McNeese State before contributing several big plays against Washington.
The injury forced him to miss three games, but he returned later in the season and finished with 485 rushing yards despite appearing in only eight contests. Miami ultimately finished 11-1 and defeated Florida 37-20 in the Sugar Bowl, with Portis rushing for 97 yards in the victory.
Frank Gore, 2002 and 2003
Frank Gore's college career was interrupted by two major knee injuries.
After rushing for 562 yards and five touchdowns on just 62 carries as a freshman in 2001, Gore was positioned to become Miami's starting running back in 2002. However, he tore his ACL during spring practice and underwent reconstructive surgery in March, ultimately missing the entire season.
The injury opened the door for Willis McGahee, who developed into a Heisman Trophy finalist and helped Miami return to the national championship game. Gore returned in 2003 and immediately regained his position as one of Miami's leading offensive players, rushing for more than 100 yards in each of his first three games.
He had accumulated 468 rushing yards and four touchdowns through five games before suffering another torn ACL during Miami's 22-20 victory over West Virginia on Oct. 2. The Hurricanes were undefeated and ranked No. 2 when Gore suffered the second injury, but they eventually finished 11-2.
Kevin Beard, 2002
Miami lost another important offensive contributor during its pursuit of consecutive national championships when wide receiver Kevin Beard tore his ACL against Pittsburgh on Nov. 21, 2002.
Beard had recorded 23 receptions for 262 yards and four touchdowns before the injury, including a crucial touchdown catch that helped spark Miami's fourth-quarter comeback against Florida State.
The Hurricanes were undefeated and ranked No. 1 when Beard went down, leaving quarterback Ken Dorsey without one of his most experienced receiving options. Beard missed the final two regular-season games and the national championship against Ohio State, which Miami lost 31-24 in double overtime.
Beard may not be one of the greatest players in UM history, but he is Toney's WR coach right now. So, hopefully he is sharing some words of wisdom after having gone through an injury himself.
Willis McGahee, 2002
Few injuries in Miami history compare to what happened to Willis McGahee during the Hurricanes' national championship loss to Ohio State on Jan. 3, 2003.
McGahee entered the Fiesta Bowl after rushing for a school-record 1,686 yards and 27 touchdowns, finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting and emerging as one of college football's most dominant running backs.
Early in the fourth quarter, McGahee suffered a devastating knee injury when Ohio State defensive back Will Allen tackled him following a short reception.
Miami eventually lost 31-24, ending its 34-game winning streak. McGahee underwent reconstructive surgery and he eventually recovered and enjoyed a lengthy NFL career.
Tyrone Moss, 2005
Miami was positioned well in 2005 when running back Tyrone Moss suffered a torn ACL during a 27-7 victory over No. 3 Virginia Tech on Nov. 5. Moss had been one of the country's most productive runners, accumulating 701 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns through eight games.
He had also delivered one of the best individual performances in Miami history the previous week, rushing for 195 yards and four touchdowns against North Carolina.
The injury ended his season and forced Miami to rely on its remaining running backs for the final four games. Despite defeating Virginia Tech, the Hurricanes eventually finished 9-3, suffering a 14-10 loss to Georgia Tech before falling 40-3 to LSU in the Peach Bowl.
Duke Johnson, 2013
One of the most comparable injuries to Toney occurred in November 2013, when Miami running back Duke Johnson suffered a fractured ankle against Florida State.
The Hurricanes entered the rivalry matchup undefeated at 7-0 and ranked No. 7 nationally, with Johnson serving as the focal point of the offense. He had rushed for 920 yards and six touchdowns through eight games.
Johnson suffered the injury during Miami's 41-14 loss to the Seminoles, ending his season. The Hurricanes subsequently lost to Virginia Tech and Duke before finishing 9-4 following a 36-9 defeat against Louisville in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Ahmmon Richards, 2017
The similarities between Toney's injury and Ahmmon Richards' season-ending setback in 2017 are notable. Richards suffered a meniscus injury during practice on Nov. 29, just three days before Miami faced Clemson in the ACC championship game.
The sophomore had caught 24 passes for 439 yards and three touchdowns in eight games, averaging 18.3 yards per reception despite dealing with injuries throughout the season. He was also coming off a record-setting freshman campaign in which he recorded 934 receiving yards, breaking Michael Irvin's Miami freshman record.
Miami subsequently lost 38-3 to Clemson and 34-24 to Wisconsin, ending what had been one of its most promising seasons in years with three consecutive defeats.
Considering the circumstances, Richards might be the closest historical comparison to Toney.
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