Bob Chesney is the second-year head coach of James Madison football. He is not a second-year head coach, however.
In fact, Chesney has 14 seasons guiding programs resident in college football's lower divisions -- from NCAA Division III, non-scholarship program Salve Regina in Newport, Rhode Island, to Assumption University, an NCAA D-II outfit in Worcester, Massachusetts, to cross-town FCS resident Holy Cross.
Winning 111 games at those stops before earning his first Football Bowls Subdivision job as Curt Cignetti's replacement at James Madison two years ago, Chesney now is among the central figures in the 2025 coaching carousel.
For good reason.
Despite taking over a Dukes roster with plenty members already following Cignetti to Indiana, which sits undefeated and No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings, Chesney owns wins in 18 of his first 23 games as an FBS head coach.
The Dukes, 9-1 this year with games remaining at home against Washington State and at Coastal Carolina in a game that could cement a perfect season in Sun Belt Conference play, could be ranked in Tuesday night's updated CFP top 25. They have the best odds of any Group of Five team to take the coveted G-5 bid in the CFP field.
Sources tell FootballScoop multiple Power 4 programs have Chesney high up on their board...
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