UCLA football is no longer with its star player and locker room leader.
Starting UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season after suffering a knee injury in UCLA’s Saturday win over then-No. 13 Oregon, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
The senior left the Bruins’ most recent match late in the second quarter after colliding with Oregon defensive lineman Bear Alexander and interior linebacker Jerry Mixon on a five-yard run. After returning to the game for a single play, Iamaleava was ruled out for the remainder of the day and replaced by senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach.
Iamaleava’s 2026 comeback season now comes to an end after an undefeated record starting the year. Through four and a half games, the Long Beach local logged 982 passing yards and four passing touchdowns on a 62.1% completion percentage.
After a troubling 2025 campaign, in which the Bruins finished with a 3-9 record and Iamaleava threw for just 1,928 yards and seven interceptions, questions emerged regarding whether the former Tennessee Volunteer would return to Westwood for the 2026 campaign.
However, since UCLA’s hiring of coach Bob Chesney and Iamaleava’s return, the Bruins have opened the current season to historic heights.
Chesney is the first-ever UCLA football head coach to begin his tenure undefeated through five games, most recently leading the Bruins to a victory at Autzen Stadium for the first time in over two decades. Following the win, UCLA was ranked the No. 12 team in the nation on the AP poll – the squad’s highest mark since 2022.
The Bruins’ early success helped propel Iamaleava onto the radar of many NFL scouts, with some deeming him as high as a third-round pick. While the starting signal caller’s professional aspirations may be derailed following his injury report, Iamaleava still has one year left of eligibility as a former recruit in the high school class of 2023, where he was the second-highest-ranked player.
Throughout the start of the 2026 campaign, Iamaleava fell victim to multiple rough hits, after which he would often step off the field momentarily before returning. However, Saturday’s injury was evidently the worst one Iamaleava had suffered thus far.
After helping the Bruins close out the Ducks, UCLA likely turns to Dieffenbach as the QB1 for the remainder of the year. On Saturday, the Cal Poly transfer completed half of his six passes, including a nine-yard touchdown to fifth-year running back Wayne Knight.
Iamaleava’s younger brother – Madden – may also be in the mix for quarterback reps, as the sophomore was previously the go-to replacement when Nico would leave the field.
The Bruins now have seven games left in the regular season without their starting quarterback – with Wisconsin coming to the Rose Bowl next. UCLA needs just one more win to secure its first bowl game appearance in three seasons, but playoff contention may now be in greater jeopardy.
