James Madison receives Coaches Poll votes despite Bob Chesney's move to UCLA
The inaugural 2026 Coaches Poll gave James Madison six points even though former coach Bob Chesney now leads UCLA, while neither program cracked the Top-25.
In the opening Coaches Poll for the 2026 college football season, the James Madison Dukes collected six points, marking respect for the program after Bob Chesney departed to become UCLA’s head coach. Neither James Madison nor UCLA appeared in the Top-25 list. The Dukes, coming off a short-lived College Football Playoffs appearance that concluded with a first-round defeat by Oregon, were the only Sun Belt school to receive votes.
The poll highlighted the Big Ten’s strength, placing Ohio State at the summit, followed by Oregon, and featuring eight conference teams among the ranked slots. Notably, the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers sit at No. 6 despite an unbeaten prior season, while other Power Five schools such as USC, Michigan, Penn State, Washington and Iowa also secured spots. UCLA’s last appearance in the Coaches Poll dates back to October 2023 under former coach Chip Kelly.
Why it matters
The poll shows how coaching changes and recent playoff exposure affect national perception of college football programs.
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