How 'Malahassee' the Sequel Led to Miami Hurricanes Nail-Biter Against Florida State Seminoles

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MIAMI, Fla. – Before the Miami Hurricanes kicked off against the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday night, the “Malahassee” Cybertruck was found in Hard Rock Stadium’s orange parking lot.

It was a popular display for a rivalry game, as fans took pictures in front of it, even in rainy weather.

Last season, when the Hurricanes traveled to Tallahassee to face the Seminoles, it was the start of Malachi Toney’s breakout. He caught seven passes for 107 yards and scored two touchdowns, including a 44-yard flea-flicker to the end zone. The rest was history, as the freshman made himself known to the entire college football world.

On Saturday night, when the game had gone spiral, Toney had several monumental plays that elevated the Hurricanes to a 43-35 win over the Seminoles in double overtime. Even with a breath-holding moment because of a non-contact ankle injury, the 18-year-old continuously stepped up.

It started with the Hurricanes’ first offensive drive, when Toney’s first catch went for 30 yards and over two Seminoles defensive backs. It ended with Mark Fletcher Jr. scoring the game’s first touchdown. In the second quarter, when it was tied at seven apiece, Toney found the end zone on a 14-yard play for the Hurricanes to regain the lead.

Before halftime, the Liberty City (Fla.) native caught another 14-yard pass that required a body adjustment.

Fast forward to the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes were trailing by a touchdown; Toney carved out a 35-yard play while faking a bubble screen for wide receiver Cooper Barkate. It caught the Seminoles’ defense off guard; then he rushed for 30 yards, leading to a touchdown for freshman Javian Mallory to tie the game at 21 apiece.

As the game went to second overtime, Toney put the icing on the cake for the victory. He scored a three-yard touchdown, then successfully threw a two-point conversion to Barkate, which was enough to leave the field with a win.

"This rivalry is bigger than me," Toney said postgame. "I haven't been alive for half of it, but I'm still playing for the standard that the generations before me created."

The former three-star recruit continues to be one of college football’s most electrifying players. Even when the execution wasn’t as efficient as throughout the season, Toney completed the plays that gave the Hurricanes momentum. Coming off a slow performance against Clemson before the bye week, he returned to the field and delivered a much-needed spark.

With six games left on the regular-season schedule, Toney is carving out a legitimate Heisman Trophy case. It’s very possible he and Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah both receive invitations to New York City for the award ceremony in December.

More Miami Hurricanes News:

– "UM's Bryce Fitzgerald Displayed Sacrifice in Win Over FSU"

– "No. 3 UM Stand Tall in Double-Overtime Thriller Against FSU"

– "Did UM's Darian Mensah Secure Heisman Trophy Frontrunning Status?"

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