Florida State’s running back room has been thinned to Quintrevion Wisner and Amari Thomas, and the Seminoles now have two weeks to get both ready for what comes next against Clemson on Saturday in Doak Campbell Stadium, another primetime stage.
That next stretch will come without Ousmane Kromah for the rest of the season. Mike Norvell addressed the injury after speaking with the media and made clear the Seminoles will have to find production elsewhere in the backfield.
“Unfortunate. The injury with Ous it’s heartbreaking for me.
… He’ll miss the remainder of this season. He was here last night in good spirits for his teammates, but everybody’s hurting for him.
… Just a really special young man and very tough, and he’ll definitely be missed for the remainder of the year but does open up the door for opportunities for other guys.”
Norvell also said Florida State is not in the business of being close, and while expectations are getting harder to set as things keep trending the wrong direction, he still said he remains confident about the rest of the season.
Ashton Daniels, meanwhile, keeps stacking awards. He’s been named ACC Quarterback of the Week again after turning in another strong performance and showing some of the best football of his career.
The bye week also gives everyone time to stew on the ending of the game, including a final-play call that has people around football - especially offensive linemen - nearly unanimous that it was not a holding penalty. Bud’s point is the one that keeps coming up: there should be a way to go straight to review when officials are not in a position to make a clear ruling, because on that final snap they never really had a clean look at what happened and still had to make a call.
There was also sad news around the program with the death of former Florida State assistant and NCSU head coach Chuck Amato at age 80. Amato spent 21 years at Florida State across two stints, from 1982-1999 and 2007-2009, and had been battling throat cancer since 2009.
In basketball, Florida State gets its first game week of the season with LSU coming to the Tuck for the final exhibition of the preseason on Saturday. The Seminoles could also get an important look at a more complete version of the roster, with Alex Steen cleared to suit up.
That’s a real lift for Florida State’s frontcourt. Steen has been around the team and practicing all preseason, and last season he averaged 6.8 points and a team-high 5.8 rebounds per game. His return, after FSU coach Luke Loucks pushed hard for him on social media and in press conferences, gives the Seminoles another proven center alongside 7-foot freshman Marcis Ponder, who posted 13 points and 21 rebounds, including 12 offensive boards, in the exhibition win over Auburn last Wednesday.
The expectation now is clear: Florida State should have one of the better frontcourts in the country.
On the pro side, there’s another flashpoint worth watching with Scottie Barnes. The Ringer ranked him 18th overall entering the 2026-2027 season, and the bigger question hanging over him is what his final form is going to look like.
He’s 25 now, a versatile forward who can do a little bit of everything at a high level, and his defense gives him a baseline that never disappears. The ceiling remains wide open.
He could grow into a Defensive Player of the Year type, a primary scoring option, or the kind of connector who makes everything around him fit. Maybe all of it.
Barnes isn’t finished, but every game keeps showing more of the player he could become.
In Other News...
ACC Coach Chuck Amato Remembered For The Legacy He Left Behind
Chuck Amato, whose coaching journey included a meaningful stop at Florida State before he became the head coach at NC State, has died at 80, closing the book on a career that stretched across several programs and decades. Amato spent seven seasons leading the Wolfpack from 2000 to 2006, guiding them to a 49-37 record, four bowl victories and a school-record 11-win season in 2002, all while building on the reputation he had already established as a longtime college football coach.
For Florida State fans, Amatos name carries the kind of familiar weight that comes from being part of the sports coaching fabric long before he ever took charge elsewhere. His path also included a stint at Akron, and he retired in 2018 after leaving behind a broad footprint in the game, one now being remembered for the stability, success and longevity he brought wherever he worked. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Just Exposed A Miami Problem Other Teams Will Notice
Miamis double-overtime win over Florida State came with a clear warning sign attached. Darian Mensah spent much of the night under duress, as the Hurricanes allowed 14 quarterback pressures, their most since Sept. 27, 2024, and the Seminoles kept finding ways to disrupt the pocket with stunts and twists that tested the protection from the edges inward.
Samson Okunlola and Matt McCoy had a difficult time sorting out those looks, and coach Mario Cristobal pointed to Florida States twisting maneuvers as the source of some of the breakdowns. Center Ryan Rodriguez said the answer has to come from sharper recognition and better technique, because if Miami keeps leaving that kind of pressure on its quarterback, other defenses will notice the film and come after the same weak spots. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Faces A Brutal Year 2 Test Under Luke Loucks
Florida State is staring at a demanding 2026-27 slate, one that will give Luke Loucks a clear read on how far his program has come in Year 2. The Seminoles are set to see eight preseason-ranked opponents, with five of those coming from the top 10, and the calendar is packed with the kind of games that can shape a teams reputation before March even arrives.
Alex Steens return after earning a fifth year of eligibility gives Loucks at least one experienced piece to lean on as the Seminoles navigate matchups with Florida, Tennessee, Houston, Miami, Duke, Louisville and Virginia. It is the sort of schedule that can expose flaws quickly, but it also gives Florida State plenty of chances to measure itself against the best and find out where it really stands. [Read more 🡒]