James Madison has hired former Florida coach Billy Napier to replace Bob Chesney, who is leaving for UCLA but would coach the Dukes in the College Football Playoff if they make the 12-team field.

Billy Napier is set to make his return to the Sun Belt Conference. James Madison is hiring Napier to fill the coaching vacancy left by Bob Chesney, sources confirmed to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz.

James Madison has it’s new man. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Dukes are set to hire Billy Napier as their next head coach. He’ll replace Bob Chesney—who is set to become the next coach at UCLA —following a potential College Football Playoff appearance.

There is a good chance one of the neighboring schools will reach the College Football Playoff, a stunning development given their gridiron histories.

On Saturday, Dec. 6, less than 24 hours after winning a Sun Belt championship, James Madison head coach Bob Chesney was officially hired to the same position at UCLA.

In an uncharacteristically sloppy game filled with penalties and turnovers, the Tigers made a fourth-down stop at their own 12-yard line to beat host James Madison 34-28 to advance to next week’s championship against North Stafford at James Madison University in Harrisonburg.

James Madison plans to hire Florida GM Jacob LaFrance as Associate AD for Football Personnel, a source tells @CBSSports. UF signed back-to-back top 10 classes in '24 & '25 under LaFrance’s direction. Also helped Louisiana sign three No. 1 classes in the Sun Belt from 2019-21. pic.twitter.com/zrN2WyDuwI

The rapidly ascending Dukes, set to lose Coach Bob Chesney to UCLA, grab a former Sun Belt success story last seen patrolling the SEC sidelines at Florida.

UCLA hired Bob Chesney from James Madison as football coach on Saturday, hoping he can turn around a program that has struggled for years.

Former Florida coach Billy Napier has reportedly found a new home in a familiar spot, landing at James Madison University of the Sun Belt Conference.

Northstar REIS has arranged the $44.5 million sale of Squire Hill Apartments, a 504-bed student housing community located at 1443 Devon Lane near the James Madison University campus in Harrisonburg. Jack Stead of Northstar REIS represented the buyer,