Florida State may have to wait a while for Samuel Singleton Jr., but the Seminoles still believe the senior running back could be back before the 2026 season ends.
Singleton’s injury came in the third quarter of the loss to Alabama, right after one of the biggest plays of the night. He broke free on a 65-yard catch-and-run out of the backfield, got taken down just shy of the goal line on an awkward tackle, and popped back up.
He stayed on the field for the next snap, picked up no yards on a run, then headed to the sideline grimacing. Not long after, he was in the injury tent and later seen leaving on crutches, with the early concern centered on a possible ACL injury.
Head coach Mike Norvell said Monday that the outlook is more encouraging than that initial fear, though the timetable is still long.
"Some unfortunate news coming out of the game, Sam Singleton will miss an extended period of time, very similar to Blake, where we're hopeful for a return within season," Norvell said on Monday. "It will be an extended period of time that he'll be out."
Norvell also pointed to the start Singleton had already put together before the injury.
"He's had an outstanding start of the season; some big plays, even on the play that he kind of got banged up on, it was an oustanding run," Norvell added. "You're seeing his confidence as a player growing, his understanding.
Hopeful that we'll get him back as soon as possible, but it will be extended. We'll see where that lands there at the back end of the season, and kind of go from there."
For now, Florida State has to sort out the backfield without one of its top options. Over the last two weeks, the Seminoles have leaned mostly on Ousmane Kromah and Singleton Jr., and now the rest of the room has a chance to step forward.
Norvell said that opens the door for more work for other backs, including Quintrevion Wisner and Amari Thomas.
"That opens up the door for other guys to increase roles. Really been pleased with Ous, and the job he's done.
Tre Wisner, it definitely opens up the door," Norvell said. "Tre battled some injuries during fall camp, and has gotten some action here in the early part of the season, but that's going to be looked at for more opportunities."
"Guys like Amari Thomas is someone I'm really excited about. True freshman that also was limited a little bit in fall camp," Norvell continued. "A guy that's shown some good capabilities, and we'll see what opportunities he can earn throughout these next few weeks."
Florida State is back on the field Saturday, September 26, against Central Arkansas. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. on the ACC Network.
In Other News...
Florida State Has A Realignment Concern As Senate Vote Nears
The latest college sports push in Washington has put Florida State in the middle of a debate with big implications for how the sport is organized. The Protect College Sports Act, bipartisan legislation from Sens. Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz, is nearing approval in the U.S. Senate after drawing support from 77 senators, and it has backing from the Big Ten, SEC and NCAA.
For Florida State, though, the fine print matters. Florida senators Ashley Moody and Rick Scott are opposing the bill because of provisions that would limit conference realignment and cap conference membership, and Miami, Florida State and South Florida have all lined up behind that resistance. The schools want to preserve flexibility if the shifting landscape of league membership keeps moving, which leaves the Seminoles watching a Senate vote that could shape their options down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Norvells Postgame Response Should Worry Florida State Fans
Florida State came out with enough punch to build an early lead against No. 10 Alabama, but the afternoon unraveled in the second half and left Mike Norvell explaining how the Seminoles went from control to damage limitation. In the postgame session, Norvell pointed to Ashton Daniels as a bright spot and said he was proud of the effort he saw from his team, even as the final result turned into a 50-36 loss.
The concern for Florida State is not hard to find in Norvells comments. He acknowledged the turnovers that swung momentum and the defensive problems that surfaced after halftime, the kind of issues that can erase a promising start in a hurry. For a team that wanted to prove it could handle a top-10 opponent, the response after the break may end up saying as much as the score did. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States QB Praise Suddenly Feels Like A Bigger Warning
Ashton Daniels gave Florida State a mix of the encouraging and the alarming in the Week 3 loss to Alabama, throwing for four touchdowns while also putting the ball in harm's way with three interceptions and taking three sacks. Even so, Mike Norvell made a point of praising the quarterback afterward, a sign the Seminoles are trying to steady Daniels as much as the offense after a 1-2 start.
The bigger issue now is whether that public confidence is mostly about keeping Daniels on track or a reflection of how thin Florida States options are behind him. Malachi Marshall, the Iowa Western transfer, is the likely backup and could be in line for work in Week 4 against Central Arkansas, which makes the coming game a chance to learn more about the Seminoles quarterback picture than the final score alone. [Read more 🡒]