Mike Norvell couldn’t save Florida State from another loss, and now he’s lost his leading running back too. Ousmane Kromah is out for the season after being carted off during FSU’s 43-35 double-overtime loss to No. 3 Miami. The Seminoles are sitting at 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC, while Norvell’s job security remains a growing concern. And losing his most productive running back certainly won’t help his case.
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Kromah was injured in the first half at Hard Rock Stadium, where he ran nine yards down to the Miami 2-yard line and landed awkwardly. Chase Smith attempted to wrap him up, but Kromah tried to hop off on his right leg before going down with 1:53 left in the second quarter. Trainers put an air cast on his left leg, and he left on a cart, with the school later confirming that he would be out for the year.
“In last night’s game, Ousmane Kromah sustained a lower leg injury,” Florida State Football’s official X account reported. “He remained in Miami overnight for surgery and returned to Tallahassee this afternoon. We expect a full recovery, but Ousmane will miss the rest of the 2026 season.”
FSU came in as a heavy underdog and put up a tough fight against Miami. The Hurricanes led 14-7 when Kromah went down late in the second quarter. Ashton Daniels scored on a two-yard run on the next play to tie it before halftime. FSU went up 21-14 in the third on a 28-yard touchdown pass to Quintrevion Wisner before Miami bounced back. Daniels hit Duce Robinson for a 75-yard touchdown late in regulation to tie it at 28, and Robinson added a 20-yard score in the first overtime.
In the second overtime, Miami got a Darian Mensah touchdown pass to Malachi Toney and a two-point conversion for an eight-point lead. FSU thought it had a touchdown on fourth-and-21, but a holding call on tackle Xavier Chaplin wiped it out. Bryce Fitzgerald’s interception on the next snap ended it. Norvell was left questioning the officiating, but the loss of Kromah will hurt Florida State well beyond Saturday night.
Kromah led the team with 609 yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt, which ranked third in the ACC. He also added 11 catches for 97 yards this season. Against Miami, he had 14 carries for 44 yards when he went out, and he crossed 1,000 career rushing yards on the night. He had rushed for at least 80 yards in each of FSU’s first six games, the first Seminole back to open a season that way since Warrick Dunn.
“I just love the kid,” Norvell said. “He’s such a competitor. He’s tough… When I went out there, I just told him, ‘Look at me. Everything’s going to be OK.’ We were hurting for Ous, but obviously we know the next guy’s got to be ready.”
Quintrevion Wisner, a Texas transfer who ran for 1,000 yards for the Longhorns in 2024, is expected to step in for Kromah. He had nine carries for 63 yards, four catches for 56 yards, and the 28-yard screen score against Miami, but he also fumbled in the fourth quarter of a tie game.
Freshman Amari Thomas is another option behind Wisner, while Zay Parks and Gavin Markey provide additional depth. Samuel Singleton Jr. has also been sidelined, leaving Norvell with fewer experienced options. Though the bye week comes at the right time for the Seminoles, it won’t fix their backfield depth concerns.
FSU gets a bye week to regroup before Clemson
Florida State has a bye on October 24 before hosting Clemson at Doak Campbell Stadium on Halloween. The Seminoles then face Boston College, Pitt, NC State, and Florida. At 3-4, FSU needs three wins in its final five games to reach six victories and become bowl-eligible under the standard requirement.
“We can really play with anyone in the country, but we just can’t get the job done,” Daniels said. “We can’t finish, and we can’t execute… The season’s not over. We’re going to come in next week, bye week. We’re going to get better.”
Norvell is 4-16 in his last 20 ACC games, and although his team’s fight against Miami may buy him some breathing room, the results still aren’t there. Now he has five games to turn things around without the running back who carried much of his offense.