Bob Chesney's former school earns votes in first Coaches Poll of 2026
The UCLA Bruins did not make the cut for the first Coaches Poll of the 2026 season but eight other Big Ten schools did.
The first college football Coaches Poll of the 2026 season, released by USA TODAY, included some notable mentions. While the UCLA Bruins did not make the Top-25, their former head coach Bob Chesney's team, the James Madison Dukes, earned six votes in the poll. James Madison, however, was not able to retain its spot in the College Football Playoffs, as Oregon Ducks defeated them in the first round.
Despite this setback, JMU has still gained some respect within the football community. Chesney brought a lot of talent to UCLA, but the Dukes should still be able to maintain their position in the Sun Belt Conference. Among all the Sun Belt schools, JMU was the only one to receive votes in the Coaches Poll. The Big Ten Conference received significant attention in the inaugural Coaches Poll, with Ohio State leading the pack at No. 1, followed by Oregon at No. 2.
The defending national champions, Indiana Hoosiers, were ranked at No. 6, even though they had an unbeaten season. In total, eight teams from the Big Ten are in the Top-25, with USC, Michigan, Penn State, Washington, and Iowa completing the top 10. It has been a while since UCLA last appeared in the Coaches Poll, as they had not achieved this feat since October of 2023 when Chip Kelly was the head coach.
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