This post was updated Oct. 29 at 9:59 p.m.
Back for round three.
After announcing on his Instagram that he would be out for the remainder of the 2026 season, senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava has informed No. 7 UCLA football that he plans to return to the Bruins next year, forgoing his upcoming NFL eligibility, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.
Iamaleava was initially announced as sidelined for the rest of the year after suffering a knee injury during UCLA’s 17-15 win against then-No. 13 Oregon on Oct. 10, when the signal-caller collided with Oregon defensive lineman Bear Alexander and interior linebacker Jerry Mixon while scrambling.
[Related: Nico Iamaleava expected to miss remainder of UCLA football season with knee injury]
While coach Bob Chesney previously said UCLA was exploring all options before officially ruling out Iamaleava, the Long Beach local was eventually be announced to be undergoing surgery Oct. 19, confirming his absence for the rest of the year.
Iamaleava played in four full games for the Bruins this year, going undefeated and helping the squad enter the AP Top 25 ranking. In his short 2026 stint, Iamaleava totaled 982 passing yards and four passing touchdowns on a 62.1% completion percentage.
The former Volunteer returned to Westwood ahead of the 2026 campaign after transferring from Tennessee and going 3-9 with UCLA last season. In his first year in the blue and gold, Iamaleava totaled 1,928 passing yards and 13 touchdowns.
Iamaleava will now look to return for his third season with the Bruins, despite having NFL eligibility as a senior. UCLA’s success starting the year brought Iamaleava into some NFL conversations, with some seeing him as high as a third-round pick. However, the 6-foot-5 quarterback now intends to compete in his fifth year of college competition – no longer needing to vie for eligibility following the NCAA’s new eligibility rulings this past summer.
Although Iamaleava has been out since early October, the Bruins have remained undefeated at 7-0 and are ranked the highest they have been since 2015. Senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach has started in Iamaleava’s place, going 2-0 through his first starts.
In two starts, Dieffenbach has recorded 505 passing yards and two passing touchdowns on a 61.4% completion rate.
With five games remaining in the 2026 season, UCLA has already clinched a bowl game for the first time since 2023 and is currently No. 1 in the Big Ten – with the opportunity to compete in the College Football Playoff for the first time in its current format.
