Miami's Malachi Toney to have ankle surgery, sources say, and will miss Notre Dame game

Miami's best receiver is done for the week, and possibly for the rest of the regular season.

Malachi Toney hurt his ankle in practice Wednesday morning, Nov. 4, and left for further evaluation. By evening, multiple sources said the injury is a high ankle sprain that requires surgery. The University of Miami's only on-record statement said Toney "sustained an injury during Wednesday's practice and is currently undergoing further evaluation by the team's medical staff," adding that it "will share additional updates as appropriate." The school has not publicly confirmed the surgery.

The timeline

ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Toney will have surgery that should allow him to return for the College Football Playoff, and that recovery from this injury typically takes at least four weeks. Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported the expected absence at four to six weeks. The Miami Hurricane, the student newspaper, reported the surgery is set for Thursday, Nov. 5.

CBS Sports, citing sources, reported the procedure is expected to be a tightrope-style fix, and that there is hope inside the program he will be back for a playoff run. A person with knowledge of the matter told The Associated Press that the initial recovery timeline won't be known until after the operation. That person also said recovery periods vary widely.

The schedule is tight. Miami plays Notre Dame on Saturday, then hosts Duke (Nov. 14), Virginia Tech (Nov. 21) and Boston College (Nov. 28). There is no bye week left. The ACC title game, if Miami qualifies, is Dec. 5. The playoff starts Dec. 18, and a top-four seed would not play until Dec. 30 at the earliest.

Dellenger's four-to-six-week window points to the ACC title game as the earliest realistic return.

What Miami loses

Toney has 73 catches for 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns through eight games. He is second nationally in catches, tied for second in receiving touchdowns and third in yards among FBS players entering this week, according to the AP.

He accounts for roughly 35% of Miami's receptions, 39% of its receiving yards and 46% of its touchdown catches. Miami leads the nation in scoring at 47.6 points per game.

The next man up is Cooper Barkate, who has 28 catches for 372 yards and four touchdowns. Daylyn Upshaw and tight end Elija Lofton are also expected to see more targets from quarterback Darian Mensah.

The damage may reach beyond the passing game. Miami ranks 21st in rushing offense at 202.5 yards per game, with Mark Fletcher Jr. and Javian Mallory carrying the load. Without Toney, defenses can crowd the box and worry less about getting beaten deep.

Notre Dame, the line and the Heisman race

Notre Dame brings the nation's top-ranked defense into the game. The matchup everyone circled, Toney against Irish cornerback Leonard Moore, is gone.

"He's as good as anyone you'll see," Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said earlier this week.

The betting market moved fast. Notre Dame opened as a 5-point favorite and was at 6.5 by Wednesday evening, per Fox News' report on sportsbook movement. At FanDuel, Toney began the week second in Heisman odds at +290, behind only Mensah at +170. He fell to +800 after the first injury news and was off the board once the surgery report broke.

This was also a rematch. Miami beat Notre Dame 27-24 in last season's opener, a result that ultimately got the Hurricanes the last at-large playoff berth and kept the Irish out. Toney's breakout game that night: six catches, 82 yards and a touchdown.

He has played through ankle trouble before. The AP reported he had dealt with ankle issues this season without missing a game until now.

The open question

The four-to-six-week range is a projection from sources, not a diagnosis announced by Miami. Several reports describe the playoff return as the hope, and that hope depends on Miami making the field and on how the ankle responds after Thursday's procedure.

Miami has said it will provide updates. Kickoff against Notre Dame is Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Whether Toney is back for the ACC title game or the playoff has not been answered by the program.