Jeremiah Smith’s Heisman Odds Surge After Malachi Toney Injury

Jeremiah Smith Retakes Heisman Lead on Kalshi After Malachi Toney Injury.

Malachi Toney is out for the remainder of the regular season.

The Miami star wide receiver suffered a high ankle sprain that required surgery.

He could potentially return for the College Football Playoff, but his Heisman campaign is over.

That news sent shockwaves through the betting markets.

On Kalshi, the prediction market platform, Jeremiah Smith’s odds surged from under 20% to nearly 40% within 24 hours.

A $10 trade on Smith winning the Heisman now profits $15.21.

Smith now leads the board at 38%.

Just a day earlier, he was below the 20% mark.

The injury to Toney directly reshaped the race.

Toney’s absence also hurt his quarterback, Darian Mensah.

Mensah had been a top contender alongside Smith.

On the season, Mensah completed 188 of 233 passes — an 80.7% completion rate.

He threw for 2,425 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just one interception.

Toney was responsible for 73 of those completions, 1,027 yards, and 13 touchdowns.

Miami’s depth at receiver is thin behind Toney.

No other pass catcher has more than 400 yards on the season.

Only three have caught more than 20 passes.

Without Toney, Mensah’s production is likely to drop.

That opens the door for Smith.

But Smith has his own problems.

Ohio State’s quarterback situation is unstable.

Julian Sayin is out indefinitely with a right elbow injury.

That forced Ohio State to turn to true freshman Luke Fahey in Week 9 against USC.

Smith did not benefit from the QB change.

He posted just 83 yards and a touchdown in that game.

That was his second-lowest receiving-yard total of the season.

For the season, Smith has 62 receptions for 1,067 yards and 13 touchdowns.

But he has been on a skid over the last three weeks.

He has stayed under 100 yards in each of those games.

The remaining schedule is not kind.

Ohio State faces Oregon, Nebraska, and Michigan.

All three defenses allow less than 210 receiving yards per game this season.

Smith will need to produce against tough secondaries with a freshman quarterback.

The matchup between Miami and Notre Dame on Saturday night is now critical.

Mensah faces Notre Dame without his top weapon.

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr also has a chance to assert himself.

Carr has been efficient this season with 8.3 yards per attempt, 18 touchdowns, and one interception.

He hasn’t needed to post huge numbers because Notre Dame’s schedule has been manageable.