Barkate Takes Center Stage as Miami Loses Toney

Miami’s top-ranked Hurricanes will be without wide receiver Malachi Toney for the rest of the regular season when they meet No. 11 Notre Dame on November 7. Toney sustained an ankle injury in practice and has been a central force in Miami’s offense, with 73 catches for 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

Senior transfer Cooper Barkate is positioned to take on more work. He has started all eight games and recorded 28 receptions for 372 yards and four touchdowns, making him Miami’s most experienced option behind Toney.

Barkate’s college career includes a 1,084-yard, 11-touchdown season at Harvard in 2024, followed by 72 catches for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns at Duke. He earned first-team All-Ivy recognition at Harvard and second-team All-ACC honors at Duke. At Miami, he has reunited with quarterback Darian Mensah, his former Duke teammate.

Barkate has already had productive games when Toney was dealing with smaller injuries, including five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown against Clemson. He also had 71 receiving yards against North Carolina. His route running, reliable hands and ability to make contested catches offer Miami a different option in the passing game.

Miami could also turn to younger receivers, including Daylyn Upshaw, but Barkate’s experience and connection with Mensah make him a leading candidate for an expanded role. The Hurricanes will need to maintain their offensive production against a Notre Dame defense expected to challenge them on explosive plays. The matchup carries College Football Playoff implications for both teams.