The timing could hardly be worse for top-ranked Miami. Star wide receiver Malachi Toney suffered an ankle injury in practice that will require surgery, multiple outlets reported Tuesday night, and he is expected to miss at least four weeks — including Saturday's top-five rematch at Notre Dame.

Reports indicate the injury is a high ankle sprain. Toney, described in several reports as a Heisman frontrunner, has been central to a Hurricanes offense that carried Miami to an 8-0 start and the No. 1 spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings.

His absence looms largest this weekend. Notre Dame enters the game with the nation's top-ranked defense, and Miami now has to solve it without its most dangerous target. A multi-week recovery window also puts the back end of the regular season in question, though no firm return date has been announced.

For a team that debuted atop the CFP rankings, the unbeaten record suddenly looks a lot more fragile heading into South Bend.