The injury occurred early in the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Kromah built a three-yard gain to the Miami 2-yard line before landing awkwardly. Attempts to bring him down by Chase Smith ended with Kromah hopping on his right leg before collapsing with 1:53 left in the second period. Trainers applied an air cast to his left leg, and he departed the field on a cart. Florida State later confirmed that Kromah would be out for the season.
The team initially announced Kromah sustained a lower-leg injury and remained in Miami overnight for surgery before returning to Tallahassee. The update noted a full recovery was expected, but the rest of the 2026 campaign would be missed.
Against Miami, Florida State fought hard as underdogs. The Hurricanes led 14-7 when Kromah went down, and Ashton Daniels responded with a two-yard touchdown run to tie the game before halftime. In the third, Quintrevion Wisner connected on a 28-yard scoring pass to give the Seminoles a 21-14 lead. Miami answered with a late fourth-quarter 75-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Duce Robinson to force overtime at 28-all, followed by a 20-yard score from Robinson in the first overtime.
In the second overtime, Miami extended its advantage with a Darian Mensah-to-Malachi Toney touchdown pass and a successful two-point conversion for an eight-point edge. Florida State thought they had a score on a fourth-and-21 play, but a holding penalty nullified the effort. An interception by Bryce Fitzgerald on the next snap ended the game. Norvell later questioned the officiating surrounding that sequence. Beyond the loss itself, the absence of Kromah will impact the Seminoles’ backfield for weeks to come.
Kromah led Florida State with 609 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per carry—the third-best mark in the ACC. He also contributed 11 receptions for 97 yards this season. In the Miami game, he carried 14 times for 44 yards before leaving the contest, reaching the 1,000-yard milestone for his career. He had rushed for at least 80 yards in each of FSU’s first six games, a feat not accomplished by a Seminole back since Warrick Dunn several decades ago.
“I just love the kid,” Norvell said. “He’s such a competitor. He’s tough… When I went out there, I told him, ‘Look at me. Everything’s going to be OK.’ We were hurting for Ous, but we know the next guy’s got to be ready.”
With Kromah out, Quintrevion Wisner—a Texas transfer who ran for 1,000 yards for Texas in 2024—was expected to step into the lead role. Wisner contributed nine carries for 63 yards, four receptions for 56 yards, and a 28-yard screen score against Miami, though he also fumbled in a critical moment of the tie game.
Freshman Amari Thomas remains an option behind Wisner, while Zay Parks and Gavin Markey add depth. Samuel Singleton Jr. has been sidelined, further limiting experienced options in the backfield. Although the upcoming bye week provides a chance for regrouping, it cannot fully resolve the depth concerns at running back.
Florida State has a bye on October 24 before hosting Clemson at Doak Campbell Stadium on Halloween. The schedule then includes games against Boston College, Pittsburgh, NC State, and Florida. With a 3-4 record, the Seminoles will need three wins in their final five games to reach bowl eligibility.
As the season progresses, the team will rely on its remaining backs and the offense’s ability to adapt without Kromah. The road ahead remains challenging, but the Seminoles have shown the ability to compete against strong opponents. The next steps will determine whether they can finish the season strong and salvage a postseason bid.
