Florida State, Ousmane Kromah prepare for road test at No. 10 Alabama

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A year ago, Florida State found a way to beat Alabama by doing something the Crimson Tide rarely allows an opponent to do.

The Seminoles ran right at them.

Florida State rushed for 230 yards and four touchdowns in a 31-17 victory, snapping Alabama’s 23-year streak of season-opening wins. On Saturday, the Seminoles will take that formula to Tuscaloosa — and put the football in the hands of a running back Southwest Georgia knows well.

Former Lee County High School standout Ousmane Kromah has emerged as one of Florida State’s biggest offensive weapons heading into Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. game against No. 10 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ABC.

Kromah has opened his sophomore season with consecutive 100-yard games, rushing for 115 yards against New Mexico State and a career-high 116 in the Seminoles’ 27-24 loss to No. 19 SMU.

He ranks second in the ACC with 115.5 rushing yards per game and has scored a touchdown in each game. Even more impressive has been his ability to change a game with one carry.

Kromah broke a 52-yard run against New Mexico State and ripped off a 54-yarder against SMU. They are Florida State’s two longest plays this season, and Kromah leads the nation with two runs of at least 50 yards.

Now comes Alabama.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell said the Crimson Tide defense looks different from the one his team faced last season.

“They’re fast, they’re explosive, they’ve increased their size from what last year’s defensive front was to this year,” Norvell said.

That makes Kromah and Florida State’s running game particularly important.

The Seminoles have rushed for 416 yards in two games, averaging 208 per game and 5 yards per carry. Kromah has accounted for 231 yards on 36 attempts, an average of 6.4 per carry.

Florida State’s passing game has not been nearly as productive. Quarterback Ashton Daniels has thrown for 327 yards and two touchdowns in two games and managed only 125 yards through the air against SMU.

Norvell knows the Seminoles cannot simply pound away at Alabama’s defensive front, however.

“We have to maintain balance,” Norvell said. “It’s not going to be one of those 3 yards in a cloud of dust type of game. You’re gonna have to have some explosive plays.”

So far, Kromah has been the Seminoles’ most reliable source of them.

His 116 yards on 22 carries against SMU made him the first Florida State player with consecutive 100-yard rushing games since Trey Benson did it in 2022.

The performance wasn’t enough to prevent Florida State from falling to 1-1. The Seminoles forced four SMU turnovers but surrendered 430 passing yards and lost on a field goal with 21 seconds remaining.

That makes Saturday more than a marquee road game. It is an opportunity for a Florida State team coming off a disappointing loss to show where it stands.

“We just have to be better,” Norvell said. “I think our guys have taken the right approach.”

Florida State will be making its first trip to Alabama since 1974. The programs are also meeting in consecutive seasons for the first time.