UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava shows grit in loss to USC
By midweek, with a handful of reporters watching his every move, Nico Iamaleava looked like someone on the brink of an offseason, not a rivalry game.
At the start of Wednesday’s practice, the UCLA quarterback threw a pass softly before switching to observer mode for the remainder of the open viewing period.
Three days later, with thousands of searching eyes watching his every move, Iamaleava was throwing passes with much more speed.
His efficiency completing one pass after another against No. 17 USC on Saturday helped the Bruins take a halftime lead, silencing a crowd at the Coliseum and sparking a hubbub between the teams in one corner of the field as they headed toward the tunnel.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) rushes for a first down against USC at the Coliseum on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
It was the kind of moment Iamaleava dreamed of growing up in Long Beach and witnessing the city rivalry as a kid.
“It meant a lot, man,” Iamaleava said of his ability to compete with the Trojans.
But consistent with the trajectory of an up-and-down season, the dream ended amid a flurry of sacks and missed conversions on third and fourth downs. There was no way for Iamaleava to force his way to victory, the Bruins ultimately succumbed in a 29-10 loss to the Trojans in which their quarterback was sacked four times – all in the second half.
And so, a season that began with Iamaleava the talk of the college football world after his controversial departure from Tennessee ended with a lonely walk down the Coliseum tunnel toward an uncertain future.
“It was a great learning year for me,” Iamaleava said after completing 27 of 38 passes for 200 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against the Trojans. “You know, a lot of firsts for me throughout the season. The way we started out, and then we dealt with little minor injuries, there’s a lot of them. And I think, man, it just showed that I’m willing to go out there and risk my life for my teammates, man, whatever it takes.”
Iamaleava showed many sides as he fought his way to the end of a 3-9 season. There was accountability, with Iamaleava facing reporters after each defeat. There was leadership, with Iamaleava telling his teammates that if they wanted to leave despite their head coach being fired and their offensive coordinator leaving, go ahead. Nobody did it.
Over the past few weeks, determination has shown, with Iamaleava returning from one injury after another. He missed just one game after suffering a concussion against Nebraska and missed only a few practices after taking a hard hit against Washington last weekend that led to neck spasms.
“Every day he got better,” UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said, “and then today he went out there and gave it his all, so I love that kid, he’s a fighter. He fought and he kept taking us to the end. … He’s a tough guy, man, and he’s a competitor. That’s what I’ll say about him.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 29, 2025: Southern California Trojans linebacker Eric Gentry (18) tackles UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) for a loss in the second half at the Coliseum on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
For more than half, it appeared that Iamaleava might slide into rivalry tradition.
Orchestrating an efficient short passing attack, Iamaleava brought UCLA into a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter when he found wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer for a two-yard touchdown on a crossing route.
Then came a rarity from someone usually happy to absorb contact as the Bruins cruised to a go-ahead score. On third-and-7 at the Trojans’ 26-yard line, Iamaleava rushed before sliding on a fierce hit from cornerback Alex Graham.
A yard short of first down, Iamaleava tried to draw USC offsides with a tough count on fourth down before kicker Mateen Bhaghani scampered down the field for a 38-yard field goal.
Not much went in Iamaleava’s favor in the second half. A third down resulted in an eight-yard sack. Another failed on a pass that was interrupted.
Things got even worse. With UCLA trailing 21-10 and clinging to faint hopes midway through the fourth quarter, the Bruins faced a fourth-and-15 at the USC 45-yard line. A short pass to Gilmer lasted only 10 yards.
Drive. Game over.
This left Iamaleava thinking about his future. In late July, he admitted he wanted to go to the NFL if he put together a successful season. It was hard to tell if he qualified after finishing the season completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,928 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
What’s next?
“I didn’t even really think about it, man,” Iamaleava said. “I’m where my feet are, man. You know, we just lost a tough game and I always think about that one – what we could have done better to go out there and win that game.”
After answering one final question, Iamaleava glanced at a bottle of orange sports drink in front of him on a table.
“Can I have this?” he asked.
Having gotten permission to take the bottle, he grabbed it, got up from his seat and exited out the back of the interview tent, the offseason having finally arrived.
