Florida State's dismissed CB Chuck Kennon allegedly topped 150 mph in police chase

Chuck Kennon, the freshman cornerback Florida State dismissed this week, allegedly drove faster than 150 mph while fleeing Florida Highway Patrol troopers near Tampa and would not let a female passenger get out of the car, ESPN reported, citing an arrest report. Kennon faces felony charges of aggravated fleeing to elude and false imprisonment, plus a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer without violence.

The arrest report, first obtained by WCTV in Tallahassee, says troopers clocked a black Dodge Durango at 70 mph in a 50 mph zone in Hillsborough County at around 2 a.m. When troopers tried to pull the SUV over, it sped up, ran a red light, swerved into a raised curb and kept pulling away. According to WCTV, a patrol car topped out at 140 mph during the roughly seven-minute pursuit and was still losing ground. The Durango stopped once a front tire went flat, and the driver, whom troopers identified as Kennon, ran off on foot. Troopers and Hillsborough County deputies, using a K9 unit and air support, found him a short time later.

About an hour later, troopers found a woman with cuts on her arm. She first said she had been at a friend's house, then told them she had been in the SUV. ESPN, citing the report, said she told troopers she had asked Kennon "more than 10 times to stop." A judge set bond at a combined $8,000 across the three counts, ordered Kennon to have no contact with the woman and barred him from leaving Hillsborough County, according to WCTV. WFLA reported the same account of the chase from the highway patrol.

Florida State confirmed the dismissal on Tuesday, citing conduct detrimental to the team. Kennon, from Sarasota, was the top-rated signee in the Seminoles' 2026 class and No. 56 in the SC Next ESPN 300. On the field, losing him changes little right away. He played one snap this season, on Oct. 3 against Virginia. The bigger cost is in the long run: a program trying to rebuild through high school recruiting has lost the best prospect it signed this year after six games.

What it means for Saturday at Miami

Florida State is 3-3 and comes into the week with two losses in its last three games. The Seminoles beat Virginia 38-7 on Oct. 3 and then lost 44-20 at Louisville. Their three wins came against New Mexico State, Central Arkansas and Virginia. The three losses were to SMU, then No. 19, by three points, to No. 10 Alabama 50-36 and to Louisville. In two of those games the defense gave up 44 or more points, and the secondary Kennon was supposed to grow into has been the issue.

No. 3 Miami is next, Saturday on ESPN and Disney+, and the board reflects that gap. The Hurricanes are favored by 20.5 points. Novig, one of 12 venues listed, has Miami at -1329 on the moneyline and Florida State at +1150. Novig prices the spread at -108 on Miami and +104 on the Seminoles. Novig sets the total at 56.5, at -102 on both sides. The best over price anywhere is Pinnacle's -114 at 56, half a point lower. The venues are fairly close on this game. Sportsbook hold runs from 2.9% to 5.7% on the moneyline and 3.8% to 6.8% on the spread.