Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney opened the season with statement games, immediately pushing themselves into the Heisman conversation as elite receivers.
Smith caught 8 passes for 151 yards and 2 first-half touchdowns in No. 1 Ohio State’s 56-3 rout of Ball State, punctuating his second score with a Heisman pose.
Toney answered Friday night with 3 touchdowns and a Miami single-game record 234 receiving yards in No. 7 Miami’s 45-6 win at Stanford, also celebrating with a Heisman pose.
Both were already decorated All-America receivers, and their fast starts reinforced the idea that they rank among the nation’s top players regardless of position.
Their breakout openers also revived the prospect of another postseason meeting after Miami beat Ohio State 24-14 in last season’s Cotton Bowl quarterfinal.