Injuries hit college football in waves sometimes, and Week 7 was one of those stretches where the biggest contenders were suddenly forced to stare at the trainer’s table. Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, LSU and Florida State all took hits to key players, and the damage ranges from “keep an eye on it” to flat-out season-ending.
That’s the tightrope here: some of these situations sound manageable, while others could reshape a team’s entire finish. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin sits in the middle of that tension, and Florida State has already lost Ousmane Kromah for the year. In between, several programs are waiting on answers.
Alabama’s backfield took a hit with EJ Crowell, who left the Tennessee game in the second quarter and never returned. Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer didn’t offer much after the loss, saying, "We'll just work through it here this week.
I don't have much more than that," when asked about Crowell and corner Zabien Brown. Crowell did make it back to the sideline, and according to The Tuscaloosa News, he left Neyland Stadium late in the fourth quarter with a brace on his left knee.
Alabama has had trouble establishing the run the traditional way, and while quarterback Keelon Russell can buy time and extend plays, the Tide need more from their ground game if they’re going to make their College Football Playoff push real. Against Tennessee, they were pushed out of the run game by the fourth quarter and didn’t get much help from the backs beyond Crowell.
At LSU, Princewill Umanmielen’s status is still murky after what looked like a head injury in the blowout of Mississippi State. Kiffin said, "Our doctors held him, which obviously is the right thing to do."
Umanmielen sat out the final three quarters, and fellow Tigers defender TJ Dottery said Umanmielen told him he was fine. Kiffin had no update on Sunday.
That matters because Umanmielen is tied for No. 2 nationally with eight sacks, and LSU heads to Auburn this weekend before a bye.
Ohio State’s situation with Julian Sayin is the most consequential quarterback injury in the bunch. Ryan Day said the injury could keep him out for "several weeks," which leaves plenty of uncertainty around what comes next.
If the Buckeyes can’t get enough out of freshman backup Luke Fahey, this could ripple well beyond Columbus. Fortunately for Ohio State, the bye week gives the staff time to build around Fahey.
If there’s one obvious answer in the passing game, it’s Jeremiah Smith, and the Buckeyes may lean on him even more before heading to USC after the break.
Texas is also waiting on a major defensive piece in Colin Simmons, who was helped off against Florida and later taken away in a cart after not putting much weight on his leg. Steve Sarkisian said he didn’t know the extent of the injury, and for a moment it looked serious enough to threaten the rest of Simmons’ season.
Late Saturday, OnTexasFootball.com reported that the initial diagnosis was an ankle sprain with unknown severity. Texas’ offense has its own issues, which puts even more pressure on the defense, especially with Ole Miss and Trinidad Chambliss up next.
Simmons has been on track for one of the most impressive seasons by any defensive player in the country, and there’s no simple way to replace what he gives Texas.
Florida State, though, has the clearest bad news of the week. Ousmane Kromah was carted off late in the second quarter of the Miami loss after his leg was put in an air cast, and the scene said plenty on its own.
The Seminoles emptied the bench, and players took knees on the field. FSU later said Kromah suffered a lower leg injury, remained in Miami on Saturday for surgery, returned to Tallahassee on Sunday, and will miss the rest of the season.
It’s a brutal loss for a freshman who entered the year as the feature back and produced 100 carries for 565 yards and five rushing touchdowns before the injury. As a freshman last season, he ran for 408 yards on 72 carries.
In Other News...
Indiana Heads To Michigan With An Edge Fans Will Notice
A healthy roster has become one of Indianas quieter advantages heading into Saturdays trip to Michigan. While the Wolverines are juggling a long availability report that includes seven players out and seven more questionable, the Hoosiers arrive with no one listed as unavailable and a roster that looks close to full strength. Even better for Indiana, running back Khobie Martin is expected back after his injury, which gives the Hoosiers another option as they prepare for a Noon ET kickoff on FOX.
In a Big Ten game like this, that kind of stability can matter just as much as scheme or momentum. Michigan will still have plenty of talent on the field, but the uncertainty surrounding so many names on its report adds another layer to a matchup that already carries real weight. Indiana does not have to navigate the same injury concerns, and that edge could be one fans notice once the game starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Raised The Pressure On Two Big Ten Powers
Curt Cignettis start at Indiana has done more than change the mood around Bloomington. It has also sharpened the spotlight on two Big Ten heavyweights now dealing with the awkward reality that rapid turnaround is possible, and that patience is getting thinner in a conference where every stumble gets magnified. With UCLA also in the mix of coaching change and roster upheaval, the leagues latest wave of rebuilding has only made Indianas jump forward look more striking.
For Michigan and Penn State, that comparison is the uncomfortable part. New coaches Kyle Whittingham and Matt Campbell inherit the same modern pressures every program now faces, from the transfer portal to NIL, but Indianas rise under Cignetti is a reminder that excuses do not last long when results start showing elsewhere. The Hoosiers have effectively raised the standard in the room, and that puts even more pressure on the established powers to prove they can keep pace. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Make-Or-Break Test As Passing Game Draws Focus
Indiana heads into its upcoming Big Ten matchup with Michigan carrying more than just the usual conference pressure, because the passing game has become a major point of attention. Josh Hoover remains central to what the Hoosiers want to do offensively, and freshman Tommy Carr is part of the conversation as Indiana looks for answers against a Michigan defense that has earned its reputation for being difficult to move the ball against.
The matchup feels like a revealing one for Indiana because recent struggles have sharpened the focus on how the offense responds when the margin for error shrinks. Michigans defensive strength presents a tough test for the Hoosiers, and the way Indiana handles that challenge could say plenty about where the passing game stands right now, even before any final result comes into view. [Read more 🡒]