If the Dukes qualify for the College Football Playoffs, UCLA will grant Chesney the chance to coach his team throughout the tournament.
James Madison went 11-1 this season under Chesney, finishing No. 19 in the nation - an improvement over last year's 9-4 season that ended with a 27-17 win over Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl game.
UCLA fired previous coach DeShaun Foster early in the season after a 0-3 start and a flurry of memes poking fun at the lack of fans at the games. Interim head coach at the time, Tim Skipper, was looking like a prime candidate for the opening, but finished with a 3-6 record.
The Bruins finished with a 3-9 record on the season - their worst since 2018 when they posted the same record.
This isn't the first James Madison coach to be hired by a BIG10 team.
Former Dukes head coach Curt Cignetti was hired by Indiana back in 2023 - they're now 12-0, rank No. 2 in the nation, and will be competing for a National Championship.