Breaking down how much trouble Ohio State, Texas, Alabama and other national championship hopefuls face as critical contributors nurse injuries across the country

Oct 19, 2026 at 9:58 am ET • 4 min read

Sometimes injuries can feel like they hit in a flurry. In Ohio State's win over Indiana last week, for instance, both quarterbacks got banged up, shaping the rest of the game and at least in Ohio State's case, potentially the rest of the regular season. Some of the teams that will be the biggest factors in the CFP race are dealing with key pieces that are nursing bumps and bruises. 

Yes there are availability reports in college football for an increased level of transparency, but we've seen from LSU this year, to USC last year, there can certainly be chicanery risks when trusting what teams put out. So we're taking our own stab at analyzing these players' status by degrees of panic. Scientifically, it's simple: 

Panic meter explained: 

❌❌❌ = Season ender

🔥🔥🔥 = Possible season ender 

🔥🔥 = Could miss significant time

😬😬 = Could miss some time

😅 = Will be fine

Alabama RB EJ Crowell (lower leg)

Panic level: 😬😬

Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer had little in the way of details after Alabama's loss to Tennessee. "We'll just work through it here this week. I don't have much more than that," he told reporters when asked about Crowell and corner Zabien Brown's injuries. 

Crowell went down in the second quarter and did not return to the game, although he did come back to the sideline, and according to The Tuscaloosa News left Neyland Stadium late in the fourth quarter with a brace on his left knee. 

Alabama has struggled to run the ball conventionally. What quarterback Keelon Russell can do to extend plays is tremendous, but the Tide will have to get better lining it up and running downhill if their College Football Playoff hopes are to be truly realized. Bama got game-scripted out of the run game by the fourth quarter of the Tennessee game, but until then, they had few answers with their non-Crowell running backs. 

Indiana QB Josh Hoover (upper body) 

Panic level: 😅 

Hoover was in visible discomfort late in the loss against Ohio State. It seemed like every throw was followed with a camera shot of him looking like this: 

Hoover did say he got banged-up on a scramble, but it was "nothing really too bad," and he told reporters "I'm feeling good" after the game. He only sat out for one play and his performance didn't seem too affected by his discomfort. The Hoosiers will need Hoover at his best next week against a good Michigan defense, especially with what the Wolverines can do rushing the passer. 

LSU EDGE Princewill Umanmielen (apparent head injury)

Panic level: 😬😬

After the Mississippi State blowout Saturday, Kiffin said, "Our doctors held him, which obviously is the right thing to do." Umanmielen was out for the final three quarters of the game. 

Fellow Tigers defender TJ Dottery communicated that Umanmielen told him he was fine. Kiffin had no comment about Umanmielen's status when asked about it on Sunday. Umanmielen is tied for No. 2 in the nation with eight sacks. The Tigers go to Auburn this weekend, then are on bye. 

Ohio State QB Julian Sayin right (throwing) arm

Panic level: 🔥🔥

We don't know what "several weeks" really means, but that's how Ryan Day termed his QB's injury after the Indiana game. It is an injury that has the possibility of permanently altering the Big Ten and national championship races if the Buckeyes aren't able to get the best out of freshman backup Luke Fahey. 

Thankfully for Ohio State, they have a bye week this week to at least design some things around Fahey that he's comfortable with. If nothing else, this might actually increase the targets Jeremiah Smith sees because when in doubt, throwing to No. 4 is never a bad option. After the bye, Ohio State travels to USC. 

Texas EDGE Colin Simmons (lower leg)

Panic level: 😬😬

Steve Sarkisian said he didn't know the extent of Simmons' injury after the Florida loss. Simmons was helped off of the field without putting much weight on his leg but then left the field in a cart. It looked like a potential career-ended for Texas' prolific sack master, but OnTexasFootball.com reported late Saturday the initial diagnosis was an ankle sprain with unknown severity. 

With the issues with Texas' offense well documented, Texas' defense will need to continue to be at its best, especially as it is about to face a tremendous Ole Miss unit led by Trinidad Chambliss. Simmons has been on his way to one of the great seasons for any defensive player in college football and there's no way to individually replicate what he brings to the table. 

Florida State RB Ousmane Kromah (lower leg)

Panic level: ❌❌❌ 

During the loss to Miami, Kromah went down late in the second quarter and was carted off the field after his leg was put in an air cast. FSU's bench emptied and the players took knees on the field. 

FSU later announced that Kromah sustained a lower leg injury and remained in Miami on Saturday for surgery. He returned to Tallahassee on Sunday and will be out for the rest of the season. 

Kromah entered the season as the Seminoles' feature back and delivered. He went into Saturday with 100 carries for 565 yards and five rushing touchdowns. As a freshman last season, he ran for 408 yards on 72 carries.