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Rising college football head coach remains heavy favorite to be next UCLA head coach

Joe Cox|
UCLA's got a steady favorite to take over their program in 2026.
UCLA's got a steady favorite to take over their program in 2026. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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UCLA Bruins

Amid the chaos of what may be known as Hiring Sunday, the UCLA Bruins are apparently sitting pretty. While other teams are waiting, watching, and sorting through the SEC's chaos, the Bruins are purportedly zeroing in on their potential hire. James Madison coach Bob Chensey has become the overwhelming favorite to name the UCLA job.

The UCLA favorite

By early Sunday, Chesney soared above 80% of prediction market Kalshi as the overwhelming top choice to grab the UCLA job. Those odds soared on the back of a couple of media notes on Saturday connecting Chesney with the Bruins.

Footballscoop.com is also reporting that Chesney is the favorite at UCLA. In fact, the site notes that UCLA is contemplating an offer of $6 million-$7 million per year for Chesney. That's a substantial increase from the current salary of $833,495 at James Madison. Chesney is under contract to the Dukes until 2028 and the buyout of that deal has been reported at $1.25 million.

James Madison has made its way to the threshhold of the College Football Playoff under Chensey after an 11-1 season. Chesney is now 20-5 since replacing Curt Cignetti as the head coach at JMU. Cignetti, of course, has Indiana in a spiral of amazing improvement that will almost certainly include a second straight CFP berth.

Chensey's resume

Chesney is 48 years old and has made his way up the coaching ladder by winning at the NCAA Division III, Division II and FCS levels. Chesney is a cumulative 131-51 as a head coach, including taking Assumption to the Division II quarterfinals and Holy Cross to the FCS quarterfinals.

As for Chesney's coaching expertise, he was a defensive assistant coach before moving into head coaching duties. He's got the Dukes atop the Sun Belt in scoring defense (16.0 points per game allowed) and yardage allowed (253.5 yards per game allowed). He has drawn praise from players for building up a team environment.

“Coach Ches emphasizes the team, getting to know the guy next to you," James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III toldThe Athletic.

Other options for Chesney and for UCLA

UCLA has struggled under Chip Kelly and DeShaun Foster. The last 10-win season for the Bruins came in 2014 under Jim Mora. Aside from Chesney, the other top candidate for the Bruins job may be Arizona coach Brent Brennan. Chesney, who is from Pennsylvania, has been touted as a candidate for the Penn State job, but the current trend seems to be toward UCLA.

Chesney
James Madison coach Bob Chesney is the favorite for the UCLA head coaching job. | Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images
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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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