Former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s difficult start at UCLA continued as the Bruins suffered a stunning 35-10 home loss to New Mexico on Saturday, dropping him to 0-3 as a starter.
The defeat marked a significant upset, as it was New Mexico’s first victory against a Power Five conference opponent since 2008. In the loss, Iamaleava completed 22 of 34 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown. However, he also threw a costly fourth-quarter interception for the second consecutive game and rushed for 33 yards on six carries.
Iamaleava’s performance has been inconsistent through UCLA’s winless start. In his debut, a 43-10 loss to Utah, he was 11-for-22 for 136 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He showed improvement in a 30-23 loss to UNLV, throwing for 255 yards and a touchdown, but his late-game interception ended a potential comeback.
The sophomore’s current struggles are a sharp contrast to his successful career at Tennessee, where he started 14 games over two seasons. In 2024, he led the Volunteers to a College Football Playoff appearance, throwing for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He concluded his time at Tennessee with 2,930 passing yards and 21 touchdowns.
Iamaleava’s transfer from Tennessee stemmed from an apparent dispute over his Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal. Reports emerged that his representatives attempted to leverage the transfer portal to increase his compensation from over $2 million to a requested $4 million per year. Following the stalled negotiations, Iamaleava officially entered the transfer portal in April before committing to UCLA.
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