The storyline in Florida State-Miami is simple enough for everyone on the field and in the stands to understand: the Hurricanes can overwhelm you in a lot of ways, but the one thing they know they have to clean up is stopping Ousmane Kromah.
No. 3 Miami has played like a complete machine through five games, sitting at 5-0 and stacking up the kind of numbers that explain why.
The Hurricanes are ranked No. 1 in total offense and scoring offense, and they also lead the nation in rushing defense. No opponent has gone over 100 rushing yards against Miami this season, the Hurricanes are giving up just 42 rushing yards per game, and they have allowed only one rushing touchdown.
That lone score came in Miami’s win over Clemson, when the Tigers managed just 55 rushing yards.
Still, the Hurricanes aren’t brushing off Florida State’s best weapon. Mohamed Toure made that clear Wednesday when he spoke about Kromah in media availability.
“He has gotten light years better and is going to be a challenge,” said Toure. “We have to make sure we tackle him.”
The numbers back up the concern. Kromah leads the nation in forced missed tackles and ranks No. 2 in the ACC with 565 rushing yards. He also sits No. 3 in the conference in rushing yards per game at 94.
His last outing came in Florida State’s 44-20 loss to Louisville, when he rushed for 88 yards but did not score. Kromah also hasn’t reached the end zone on the ground in two weeks, after scoring twice in the win over Central Arkansas.
Miami saw him last season, too, and the result was all too familiar for Florida State fans: Kromah finished with just 23 yards on six carries and no touchdowns in a loss to the Hurricanes.
For Florida State, the path is narrow. The Seminoles come in at 3-3 and are fresh off that loss to Louisville, while Miami remains undefeated. As 21.5-point underdogs, Mike Norvell is going to need one of the sharpest game plans of his tenure to keep this one within reach.
That means balance. That means every weapon used. That means the offensive line holding up long enough to give quarterback Ashton Daniels a clean pocket and open some space for Kromah on the ground.
Daniels has run for 10 touchdowns this season, but Florida State can’t afford to live through just one player against a defense like Miami’s.
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Norvells status has become part of the conversation around the team, with discussion building about whether he will remain in charge through the rest of the season or if the school could eventually make a change. For a program with Miami next and little margin for error beyond that, the stakes are no longer just about one game. They are about whether Florida State can stabilize quickly enough to keep the season from drifting further and to give its coach a real path to quieting the noise. [Read more 🡒]