UCLA reportedly closing in on Bob Chesney extension

With a perfect 9-0 record and as one of only two teams holding unbeaten status across the Power Four, UCLA hosts Illinois on Friday night, looking to continue its most successful start since 1998, when the Bruins won the PAC-10 Championship and earned a berth to the Rose Bowl. 

They currently rank No. 4 in the nation with three games remaining on their schedule, including Michigan and No. 18 USC. 

UCLA isn't waiting around on the hottest coaching name 

As schools move aggressively to secure rising coaching stars, and Wake Forest already inking Jake Dickert to a new extension, UCLA is following in those footsteps, closing in on rewarding head coach Bob Chesney, 49, with a long-term contract extension, according to The Athletic.

Chesney's track record speaks for itself. He was 44-16 at DII Assumption, winning two league championships and three straight D-II playoff berths. He moved to FCS Holy Cross in 2018 and won five straight Patriot League titles. 

During his two seasons with the James Madison University Dukes, he led them to their first-ever bowl victory in 2024 and, in 2025, guided JMU to an undefeated 8-0 Sun Belt Conference record, securing the school's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance as the No. 12 seed, where they played the Oregon Ducks. 

The recognition served as tangible proof of Chesney's ability to produce immediate results. In his second season at JMU, he led the Dukes to an AP Top-25 finish and earned both Sun Belt Coach of the Year and G6 Coach of the Year honors, further cementing his reputation as one of college football's premier program builders. 

The numbers behind UCLA knocking on CFP door

As Ira Gorawara and Bruce Feldman of The Athletic noted, Chesney is on the brink of securing the Bruins' first-ever CFP appearance. UCLA has built its success around a dominant rushing attack and a ball-hawking defense, leading the Big Ten with 213.2 rushing yards per game while entering the week as the national leaders with 27 takeaways. 

Running back Wayne Knight, who followed Chesney from James Madison, has spearheaded that effort with a Big Ten conference-best 789 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.