Bob Chesney’s first season at UCLA has already made history by becoming the first football coach to begin his tenure with six consecutive victories surpassing the previous record of 4-0 set by Henry “Red” Sanders in 1949.
This genesis has earned him national recognition as Chesney was named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award watch list placing him among 28 coaches honored for excellence, integrity and impact on and off the field.
The Bryant Award is certainly unique in college football.
The award is administered by the American Heart Association and is the only major coaching honor presented after the national champion is won. Such timing allows for the entire football campaign that includes bowl games and the College Football Playoff to factor into the recognition, rather than stopping at the regular season.
The honor recognizes the coach whose leadership, character and results define the entire season.
For Chesney, a Kulpmont, Pennsylvania native son, the nomination is another milestone in a career built on culture, toughness and program building at every coaching stop that commenced in Division III.
Halfway through his debut season in Westwood, California, Chesney has UCLA sitting at 6-0, one of only six unbeaten teams in the FBS and the lone undefeated program in the Big Ten.
No UCLA coach has ever started his tenure with six straight wins.
The Bruins have climbed from unranked to number nine, their highest ranking since Week 11 of the 2022 season. With their win total bowl eligibility has already been secured.
The numbers this season behind UCLA’s rise are just as impressive.
UCLA ranks in the national top 25 in a staggering list of categories: takeaways (2nd), turnover margin (3rd), interceptions (5th), third‑down defense (5th), pass efficiency defense (10th), rushing offense (12th), total defense (20th) and scoring defense (21st).
The Bruins have dominated second halves, outscoring opponents 125-50 and they lead the nation in fourth quarter scoring margin and points per game. It is the kind of statistical profile that reflects not just talent, but identity that has been a hallmark of Chesney’s coaching career.
His inclusion to the watch list clearly places UCLA’s turnaround squarely in the national conversation.
This recognition follows a landmark 2025 season at James Madison, where Chesney guided the Dukes to their first College Football Playoff appearance and a Sun Belt Conference title. He was a finalist for the Bryant Award last year and earned both the G6 Coach of the Year and Fan Vote Favorite Coach of the Year honors.
The 41st annual Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award will be presented on January 27, 2027, in Houston, Texas with the ceremony broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
Finalists and the eventual winner are selected by the National Sports Media Association, the Bryant Awards Executive Leadership Team and the Bryant family.
Chesney’s place on the watch list is just another sign that UCLA’s resurgence is real and that its first-year head coach is shaping one of the season’s defining national stories.
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