No. 1 Miami touting both Mensah and Toney as Heisman Trophy hopefuls this season

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — It's election season, and No. 1 Miami would like a select group of people to seriously consider two candidates when casting ballots.

Vote for Darian Mensah.

Or vote for Malachi Toney.

When it comes to the race for the Heisman Trophy, the Hurricanes are already campaigning. They want those entrusted with selecting the winner of college football's top individual honor to choose one of their two stars — who are near the top of the national rankings in a slew of categories.

And yes, the Hurricanes (7-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) are touting the duo as — wait for it — Heismen.

“When your best players prepare and focus a certain way, I think it definitely rubs off on everybody,” Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said this week. “We're lucky right now that our best players are the ones that prepare a certain way, they are focused a certain way, and they bring a certain intensity to the game. That definitely filters through the group. It's contagious.”

Neither Mensah nor Toney is likely to concede much about what winning the Heisman — or even being a top candidate for the award — would mean to them individually, though it should be noted Toney struck the Heisman pose while celebrating a touchdown catch on the Hurricanes' very first drive of the season back in September. He's done it a few more times since.

But when asked by The Associated Press on Wednesday to make the case for the other, neither disappointed with their answers.

— Toney, speaking on Mensah: “He's just an unbelievable player. Puts the ball wherever it needs to be. He's just a leader. The play speaks for itself."

— Mensah, speaking on Toney: “The biggest thing that sets him apart from everybody else is his eagerness to go out and block for his teammates. I think if you turn on the tape, he does it at such a high level that it's different. He's obviously a great person but he wants to see his teammates win. And I think he's just a selfless person. I think that's why he should win.”

Mensah enters this week leading the country in yards per attempt (10.54) and completion percentage (81.4%, such a wide margin over No. 2 Noah Fifita of Arizona that the Miami quarterback could misfire on his next 19 throws and still hold the top spot). He’s thrown for 22 touchdowns and just one interception.

“One of the best quarterbacks in the country,” said North Carolina coach Bill Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl champion whose Tar Heels (4-3, 2-2) will play host to the Hurricanes on Saturday night. “I mean, I haven’t seen them all, but he’s got to be right up there. Can’t imagine there’s too many playing better than he is.”

Toney leads the nation with 66 catches, plus ranks third with 11 touchdown catches and 952 receiving yards. And he, too, got rave reviews from Belichick — on everything from his blocking to his route running to even being able to handle success at such a young age.

“He can kill you on a screen pass. He can kill you on an intermediate play. He can kill you on deep balls. Returns, improvised plays,” Belichick said. “He helps the quarterback out a lot because he gets open, finds ways to get open even when he's double-covered. That doesn't really stop him. You would think it would, but not really.”

Mensah has even found Toney in a couple of triple-covered situations this season.

“Malachi has the trust of the entire organization — and certainly the quarterback,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.

Most sportsbooks have Mensah and Toney in the top three for this year's award, both trailing the presumed favorite, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State. It's not unheard of for teammates to finish in the top three; there are three such instances in the last 50 seasons with DeVonta Smith and Mac Jones for Alabama in 2020, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart for for USC in 2005, and Adrian Peterson and Jason White for Oklahoma in 2004.

Mensah and Toney — in some order — could join that list in a few weeks. And they're already at the point where Dawson can see an unspoken communication in games, making little adjustments to a play on the fly because one already knows what the other is thinking.

“Man, me and Darian have gotten close within these past few months,” Toney said. “It's just been crazy.”

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Miami quarterback Darian Mensah (10) calls out on the field during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney (1) celebrates with quarterback Darian Mensah (10) after scoring a touchdown against Pittsburgh during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings have suspended Dylan Larkin without pay and taken him off the roster after they said his agent told the team the center will no longer play for the franchise, growing frustrated by its inability to move him months after he asked for a trade.

“We are disappointed by his decision, particularly given his obligations to the organization and his teammates,” interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said in a statement Thursday, shortly before Detroit hosted Chicago.

Detroit coach Todd McLellan told reporters earlier in the day that Larkin would not play against the Blackhawks, adding that Horcoff was expected to address the move.

Larkin asked for a trade in the offseason after the franchise extended its postseason drought to a decade, but he started the season still on the team but stripped of the captaincy.

“We’ve talked to the teams on Dylan’s list and we’ve taken calls from other teams around the league that have expressed interest in Dylan," Horcoff said. "We just continue to try to find a solution that fits for both sides.”

Messages seeking comment were left with Larkin's agent, Pat Brisson.

Larkin is the second NHL player suspended without pay this fall after requesting a trade during the offseason. Winnipeg did that with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck — a U.S. Olympic teammate of Larkin's — before sending him to New Jersey last week.

Now it's Larkin, who will forfeit roughly $41,000 a day while suspended.

The 30-year-old center has two goals and six assists in 10 games, giving him 278 goals and 649 points in 818 games since making his debut with his hometown Red Wings during the 2015-16 season. Larkin, who is from Waterford, Michigan, was drafted by Detroit No. 15 overall in 2014 after playing for the Wolverines in college.

He was a key player for the United States when it won Olympic gold last February at the Milan Cortina Games.

After missing two games with an upper-body injury, he scored in his season debut — after being booed when he touched the puck on his first shift — to help Detroit beat Ottawa. He scored again on Monday night in a win at Edmonton.

“I wanted to try to do what I could to keep Dylan here in a Red Wings jersey,” Horcoff said. “Clearly, I was unsuccessful doing that.”

Larkin has a full no-trade clause as part of his eight-year contract, which has five years remaining with an annual salary cap hit of $8.7 million. He initially told the Red Wings he would accept a trade to Florida, Minnesota and Vegas before reportedly adding more possibilities in recent weeks.

Horcoff said his goal is to acquire players that can help right away, adding he's open to deals for prospects and draft picks that give the franchise a fair return for someone of Larkin's caliber.

“With the teams that Dylan has on his list, it’s difficult to get something done in a trade like this,” Horcoff said.

Nearly a month into the season, standout defenseman Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned as a restricted free agent. The 23-year-old Swede had nine goals and 25 points in 72 games last year, his second full season in the NHL. Detroit drafted him No. 6 overall in 2021 and he has 19 career goals and 60 points in 175 games.

The Red Wings want him on the team and have no interest in signing and trading him.

“Nothing’s changed," Horcoff said.

In desperately need of good news two weeks ago, the Red Wings signed two-time All-Star forward Alex DeBrincat to a seven-year contract worth $13 million per season.

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan, standing left, talks with defenseman Justin Faulk, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin reacts after his attempt was blocked by Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer for a Kraken win during a shootout in an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) defends the net against Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin (71) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (Codie McLachlan/The Canadian Press via AP)