No. 1 Ohio State will face a UCLA team missing its starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, who was ruled out with a concussion ahead of Saturday’s game; a blow that changes the dynamic for both teams. The Bruins must now scramble with backup Luke Duncan stepping into the spotlight against the toughest defense in college football.
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Can UCLA Compete Without Nico Iamaleava?
Iamaleava suffered a concussion in last week’s game against Nebraska and was officially ruled out by Brett McMurphy of On3 Sports just hours before kickoff. His absence leaves UCLA without a player who’s started every game this season and remains the only Bruin to attempt a pass in 2025.
UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava (concussion) will not play today at Ohio State, sources told @On3Sports. Iamaleava is the only quarterback that has attempted a pass for UCLA this season. Luke Duncan gets the start for UCLA https://t.co/oyItTukzPg
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 15, 2025
According to PFSN’s CFB QB Impact metrics, Iamaleava holds an 80.2 Impact Score with a B- grade, reflecting his consistent presence and mid-tier performance for the Bruins.
Over nine starts, Iamaleava attempted 259 passes, with 165 completions for 1,659 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, averaging 184.3 passing yards per game. These numbers represent the backbone of UCLA’s offense and signal how much the Bruins will miss his reliability against Ohio State’s elite defense.
How elite, you ask? Well, the Buckeyes are ranked second in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric on the season. Their A grade and 94.7 score are thanks, in part, to their best in the league 7.2 points allowed per game, 3.8 yards allowed per play, and only four passing touchdowns allowed.
PFSN’s NFL Draft analyst Ian Cummings updated Nico’s draft stock after the injury news. “Iamaleava was already very likely to return to school for another season, but his absence against Ohio State — in what would have been a potential prove-it game against a defense loaded with NFL talent — works closer to locking in that outcome.
Nevertheless, odds are Iamaleava would have struggled mightily against the Buckeyes’ defense either way, and presumed backup Luke Duncan — who hasn’t thrown a pass in his career — will face equal adversity. Ohio State’s defense has almost a dozen 2026 NFL Draft prospects, many of whom could hear their names called in the Top 100 next April.”
Now, sophomore backup Duncan, whose only action came against Michigan State on October 11, faces daunting odds against a Buckeyes team ranked first in both national polls and Playoff rankings. UCLA began the year 0-3 and replaced head coach DeShaun Foster with interim Tim Skipper, while Jerry Neuheisel stepped in as offensive coordinator. Those changes brought some improvement, but losing Iamaleava compounds the challenge.
Ohio State, unbeaten at 9-0 with a perfect Big Ten record, enters as heavy favorites. The Bruins must quickly revise their offensive game plan and find answers, hoping Duncan can spark an upset that few believe is possible. With playoff implications at stake, UCLA’s test just got tougher.