James Madison football program sees former head coaches build undefeated records

Three former James Madison head coaches remain undefeated during the current college football season, according to CBS College Football. Curt Cignetti, Bob Chesney, and Billy Napier have compiled a combined 17-0 record. CBS College Football reported that these three coaches represent one third of the remaining unbeaten teams in college football. [1]

The athletic program at James Madison is preparing for a transition to the American Conference, CBS College Football reported. Former athletic director Jeff Bourne previously evaluated coaching candidates during games against James Madison, including an Elon team that upset the second ranked Dukes 27-24 in Bridgeforth Stadium. [1]

Yahoo College Football reported that James Madison, which originally operated as an all women's college, has established a culture focused on rapid player adaptation to sustain long term winning across different head coaching tenures. [2]

Separately, Yahoo College Football reported that SMU will launch a Division I men's lacrosse program to begin play in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the spring of 2028. The Mustangs will join Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Virginia as the sixth men's lacrosse team in the conference, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. [2]