Nico Iamaleava’s transfer from Tennessee to UCLA turned heads across the college football world. The former five-star recruit was supposed to be the future of the Vols’ program after leading them to their first College Football Playoff appearance.
Instead — after a dramatic few days — he’s headed back to his home state to try and revitalize a UCLA program that just finished 5-7 and is breaking in a brand-new head coach in DeShaun Foster.
At first glance, it feels like the kind of move that could flip the Bruins’ fortunes. Iamaleava is dynamic, confident, and still just scratching the surface of his potential. But according to ESPN analyst Greg McElroy, fans should pump the brakes. As good as Nico may be, even he might not be able to carry this team through what's shaping up to be a brutal schedule.
McElroy Predicts a Rough Road Ahead
Speaking on his Always College Football podcast, McElroy didn’t sugarcoat things. While he acknowledged the Bruins could be more competitive in 2025, he made it clear that the challenges far outweigh the upgrades.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if this team was a little more competitive than they were just a year ago,” McElroy said. “The schedule might be more difficult, though, going into this season.”
UCLA opens the season with a matchup against Utah, and things only get tougher from there. McElroy sees just two surefire wins on the schedule—New Mexico and Northwestern. But he’s already marking down four certain losses: Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana, and USC. That leaves UCLA needing to go 4-2 against teams like Washington, Michigan State, Nebraska, Maryland, and UNLV to just top last year’s win total. Not exactly a walk in the park.
None of this is a knock on Iamaleava, who put together a solid 2024 season with 2,616 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and only five interceptions at Tennessee. He played clean football and did enough to help guide the Vols to the College Football Playoff. But even elite quarterback play isn’t always enough when you’re surrounded by a roster still trying to find its footing, and we certainly don't expect him to provide that in 2025.