San Diego State’s first four games this season are against teams with new head coaches.
Included among them is one coach (Bob Chesney) who joined last week’s opponent (UCLA) after leaving this week’s opponent (James Madison).
The opportunity came after Chesney guided the Dukes to last year’s College Football Playoff.
The coaching carousel began in SDSU’s opener against Portland State, which hired Chris Fisk from Central Washington. The new James Madison coach is Billy Napier, who was dismissed last year at Florida. Next week, the Aztecs play at Toledo, which hired Mercer coach Mike Jacobs.
“It’s been going down the rabbit hole with ‘Alice in Wonderland’ the whole offseason,” SDSU coach Sean Lewis said. “I mean, you go from watching the Central Washington film because you’re preparing for Portland State.
“Watching JMU film because of the scheme and the people who came from JMU to UCLA. And then we’re going to turn the page and you’re going to be preparing for JMU and you’re watching the new JMU tape, but you’re referencing the old JMU because of some people who are (still) there.
“And you throw in some Gator tape in the mix as well. And Week 4, we’ll be watching Toledo Rocket tape with Mercer tape. Welcome to college football 2026. What an awesome sport to be a part of.”
SDSU (1-1) is a 1 1/2-point favorite against James Madison (2-0) for Saturday’s game. Kickoff is 7 p.m. (The CW) at Snapdragon Stadium.
About the Dukes
James Madison’s rapid rise in the college football ranks culminated with a College Football Playoff berth in just its third season at the FBS level.
The Dukes were an FCS power for nearly two decades before moving to FBS in 2023.
Guiding them into the new era was head coach Curt Cignetti, who coached the team from 2019 to 2023 before moving to Indiana and leading the Hoosiers to last season’s national championship.
Chesney replaced Cignetti as JMU coach in 2024, going 9-4 that first season. The Dukes went 12-1 last season to earn the Group of Six berth in the playoff. Chesney left to coach UCLA after JMU’s 51-34 playoff loss to Oregon.
Chesney took 11 JMU players with him to UCLA, including seven players now starting for the Bruins, leaving the Dukes with five returning starters (one on offense). Napier brought in 61 new players to JMU, including 39 transfers.
JMU (2-0) opened the season with a 20-13 win over Liberty. This is the Dukes’ first meeting with SDSU.
Last time out
James Madison set a school scoring record in Saturday’s 87-3 win over Wagner. The Dukes scored at least 21 points each quarter, totaling 12 touchdowns, while piling up 588 yards in total offense. JMU rushed for 291 yards and six touchdowns, returned two punts for touchdowns and returned a blocked punt for a TD.
Key players
QB Camden Coleman: He completed 11 of 17 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown against Wagner before being relieved.
It was Coleman’s first start in place of starter JC Evans, who suffered a lower-body injury in the season opener against Liberty. Coleman is the expected starter against the Aztecs.
WR/PR/KR Michael Scott: Scott had 76- and 69-yard punt returns for touchdowns against Wagner. He also had a 92-yard kickoff return while finishing with 303 all-purpose yards.
RB Nick Herman: Herman rushed nine times for 133 yards and two touchdowns against Wagner.
RB George Pettaway: Pettaway rushed nine times for 52 yards and three touchdowns against Wagner.
CB Ken Willis: The Cincinnati transfer had a team-high seven tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery against Wagner.
LB Gannon Weathersby: The returning starter had five tackles against Wagner.
James Madison head coach Billy Napier signals to his kicking team as they line up for an extra point during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wagner in Harrisonburg, Va., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Daniel Lin /Daily News-Record via AP)
Coachspeak
When asked after the 84-point win over Wagner if that could lead to overconfidence against the Aztecs, Napier said: “We won’t have that problem. As soon as we turn this tape on (of the Aztecs), these guys will be dialed in. … We’ve got work to do. I still think that this team has a ton of room for growth and improvement.”
After getting three special teams TDs, Napier said: “I promise you there will be a lot of special teams coordinators losing sleep over what they experienced today.”
Did you know?
JMU was originally called State Normal and Industrial School for Women when it opened in 1908. It was renamed Madison College 30 years later in honor of the country’s fourth president (1809 to 1817).
The Harrisonburg, Va., school became James Madison University in 1977 following a vote of the Virginia General Assembly.
Had he been a football player, Madison likely would have been a kicker. He stood 5-foot-4 and weighed 100 pounds.