This post was updated Nov. 13 at 10:18 p.m.
Alexander the Great rallied an army to conquer Asia.
The king of Macedonia was undefeated in battle – a feat influenced by his leadership.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava may represent the Bruins’ Alexander the Great despite the team’s losing record.
But Iamaleava is set to battle college football’s equivalent of the Persian army.
UCLA football (3-6, 3-3 Big Ten) will face No. 1 Ohio State (9-0, 6-0) on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes boast the top-rated defense in the country – one that holds opposing offenses to just 211.6 yards per contest, leaving the Bruins a minuscule margin for error.
“When you’re playing the number one team in the country, you can’t really afford to make mistakes,” said redshirt senior defensive lineman Jacob Busic. “We need to just focus on our little details to win this game.”
Leaders are often relied on when a group navigates through the most treacherous waters, and Iamaleava established himself as a core commander during fall camp.
Iamaleava has thrown for 1,659 yards and 12 touchdowns on a 63.7% completion clip this season despite dealing with consistent defensive pressure that has allowed opposing defenses to slam the 6-foot-6 signal caller to the ground 22 times.
The redshirt sophomore also spurs the Bruins’ offense with his legs, and his 474 rushing yards are almost 200 more than any Bruin tailback for the 2025 campaign.
Iamaleava thrashed Nebraska’s front seven for 86 rushing yards Nov. 8 when he repeatedly scrambled out of the pocket, strode downfield and lurched past Husker defenders to pick up numerous first downs.
The Long Beach, California, local’s effort helped UCLA cut into Nebraska’s 21-point lead in the third quarter, slimming the deficit to only seven by the contest’s conclusion.
“You see quarterbacks that can run, and they’re usually thicker, muscled-up guys,” said interim head coach Tim Skipper. “There goes the first tall, skinny dude that I know that will lower the pads on you and is not afraid, and he’s going to always be going forward and getting yards.”
The Buckeyes’ defense may threaten the Tennessee transfer’s dual-threat ability since the unit contained quarterbacks like Texas’ Arch Manning and Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. who have the capacity to impact games with their running capabilities while holding their teams to a combined 13 points.
Ohio State’s defensive line sacked Williams six times and held the dual-threat weapon to -28 rushing yards.
But regardless, Iamaleava’s leadership ability extends beyond his ability to tear up the gridiron.
“It’s just his character and his mentality,” said redshirt senior running back Anthony Frias II. “He doesn’t just love being a quarterback – he loves playing football. He’s willing to do those things that maybe other quarterbacks in the country aren’t willing to do.”
The field general helped UCLA overcome its winless start across its first four performances, even through the coaching changes and critiques that surrounded his move from Knoxville to Westwood.
Iamaleava dominated then-No. 7 Penn State, reaching paydirt five times and notching 294 scrimmage yards to help UCLA capture its first win of the 2025 campaign.
The Bruins then won two consecutive contests following that upset victory.
But the crew has hit a rough patch similar to its early-season struggles, riding a two-game losing streak to Indiana and Nebraska, respectively, heading into Saturday’s matchup.
Alexander the Great persevered through adversity to triumph in battle, especially when he quelled his army’s mutiny during his 10-year campaign.
And it may lie upon the Iamaleava’s shoulders to rejuvenate the Bruins prior to their bout against the Buckeyes, just as he helped revitalize the then-winless squad against the Nittany Lions.
“We love him. We’re so grateful,” Frias said. “He sets a standard even not just for himself but just for the whole team, and we feed off him. We have a good relationship, and we’re grateful to see Nico do what he does because he’s a special player.”
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