The UCLA Bruins got the win of the weekend with an upset over the Oregon Ducks, but their victory high came crashing down just a couple of days later, with news that starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava Jr. is expected to miss an extended amount of time after suffering a knee injury in the loss.
Iamaleava struggled early in the game and was eventually knocked out in the second quarter after tweaking his knee while getting sacked. Iamaleava came back in for a play after leaving with the injury, but ended up throwing his second interception of the day in his return.
After the half, Iamaleava eventually emerged from the locker room in street clothes, while backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach took the reins.
Iamaleava Jr. had an up-and-down season in
2026 for the No. 12 Bruins, throwing for 982 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He also rushed for 144 yards and one touchdown. Meanwhile, it's been the rushing attack that has led the way for UCLA, led by Wayne Knight and Anthony Woods.
There is currently some speculation as to how much time Iamaleava will miss, but it will likely be several weeks, at the very least. CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz first reported that the UCLA QB would be out for the rest of the season, but ESPN's Pete Thamel says that there has been no timeline set for his injury, and further medical evaluation is needed.
The Bruins are 5-0 and face the Wisconsin Badgers this coming week. Going forward, the only remaining ranked matchup on the schedule for UCLA comes in the final week of the season against the USC Trojans.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava Jr. to miss extended time with knee injury
