Why Stopping FSU's Run Game Is No. 3 Miami's Biggest Defensive Key in Week 7 Matchup

No. 3 Miami (5-0, 3-0 ACC) enters Saturday’s primetime ACC rivalry game against Florida State (3-3, 1-2) as a heavy favorite at Hard Rock Stadium. The Hurricanes’ offense has been historically efficient under Heisman candidates Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney, and the defense has been among the nation’s best. 

Corey Hetherman’s unit needs to be sharp to have another lopsided score in favor of Miami, as the Seminoles will have a clear path to keeping the game within reach on Saturday night.

Florida State’s offense has a clear identity, and that is to run the ball. They will lean on the ground game to keep in striking distance.

“Yeah, I think offensively they are very talented,” Hetherman said. “I think the running back, the backfield in general, I think is a very good backfield.”

Miami’s defense needs to stop one of the best rushing attacks in the country to dominate their rival

Florida State has built much of its offense around the ground game. 

Sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah has been remarkably consistent, rushing for at least 80 yards in all six games and totaling 565 yards on 100 carries. He’s averaging 5.65 yards per attempt with five touchdowns.

“I think he's like fourth in the country in creating missed tackles; he's tough to tackle,” Hetherman said of the Seminoles star running back.

“I think he's a complete back, and I think he's a very big challenge for us this week. And we got to treat it all week. We got to tackle in practice. We got to get after it.”

Quarterback Ashton Daniels adds a dual-threat element in the run game as well, with 323 rushing yards and a conference-leading 10 rushing touchdowns. 

Combined, the Seminoles average roughly 187 rushing yards per game and rank near the top of the ACC in rushing offense.

According to PFF, the Seminoles have one of the best ground attacks in the country, as they have graded them as the 13th-highest rushing attack in the country.

Fortunately for Miami, their defense has been elite against the run. 

The Hurricanes rank first nationally in rushing yards allowed per game, having surrendered just 213 yards on the ground through five games. They held Central Michigan to 21 yards, Wake Forest to 22, and limited other opponents to similarly low totals. 

In their most recent game in Death Valley, the Hurricanes had their best performance against the run against Clemson. Deep into the game, the Tigers were under one yard per carry until the end, when the game was nearing its end.

Defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman has emphasized physicality, setting the edge, playing through the whistle, and swarming to the ball, traits that have defined his unit ever since being hired at Miami.

“We want to play all the way through the whistle. We're going to be smart. We got to be detailed on how we take on blocks, how we leverage the football, what angles we take, how we block destruction into the tackling system that we use. But we want our guys to play unbelievably hard. The biggest thing is just the swarm. Like, we want to continue to get better in that area. I still think we got to run to the football better every single play.”

Miami DC Corey Hetherman

The matchup matters because of how the two styles collide. 

FSU’s best chance to control the tempo, stay out of obvious passing situations, and protect Daniels, who has been susceptible to turnovers this season, is to run effectively between the tackles and on the perimeter with Kromah and designed quarterback carries. 

If Miami’s front seven, led by players such as Marquise Lightfoot, Armondo Blount, Justin Scott, and linebackers who have graded well against the run, can force negative plays and limit explosive runs, the Seminoles become one-dimensional.

That plays directly into Miami’s secondary and pass rush strengths while exposing Florida State’s inconsistent passing attack and offensive line vulnerabilities.

Hetherman and the staff have highlighted the need to maintain leverage, fit gaps properly, and tackle cleanly against a backfield that includes Kromah’s tackle-breaking ability and Daniels’ mobility.

The key defensive priority that most directly dictates whether Saturday becomes a controlled victory or a more competitive rivalry night is simple.

Stop the run early, force the Seminoles into predictable situations, and let the defense take over.

If Miami’s front holds up the way it has against every other opponent this season, the Seminoles will struggle to sustain drives. 

That remains the clearest defensive priority heading into the game.

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