Nico Iamaleava got an ill-timed case of the butter fingers during Saturday’s pivotal game.
No. 21-ranked UCLA played Saturday against No. 13-ranked Oregon. In the first quarter at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., disaster struck for the Bruins quarterback Iamaleava.
On the first play of a UCLA drive from their own 10-yard line, Iamaleava took the snap from the shotgun formation. Upon being pressured by the Oregon pass rush, Iamaleava panicked and went for a quick throw.
Unfortunately for Iamaleava, the ball slipped out of his grasp before he even got set with his throwing motion. The ensuing fumble was recovered by Oregon’s Koi Perich at UCLA’s 1-yard line.
Nico Iamaleava https://t.co/GT51BhGOE5
— Reason (@the_real_reason) October 10, 2026
Here is a closer angle of Iamaleava’s costly mistake.
Not what Nico was hoping for… https://t.co/lJyW7gIY3i
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) October 10, 2026
Oregon would then score a touchdown on the very next play for their opening score of the game. UCLA settled down from there however and went on to score 14 points unanswered to take back the lead into the second half.
The senior Iamaleava had helped the Bruins to a 4-0 start to the season with 820 passing yards and four touchdowns (plus an additional 143 yards and one touchdown on the ground). But in the biggest game of the year so far against Big Ten rival Oregon, Iamaleava had some old issues rear their ugly heads again.
