Paul Finebaum Takes Shot at Nico Iamaleava Ahead of Week 2

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 10:36 AM ET

The Nico Iamaleava saga was a major storyline of the offseason. The former five-star recruit led the Tennessee Volunteers to their first College Football Playoff appearance in the program's history in 2024.

He was expected to lead the team further in his second year as the starter. However, just before the spring game, he announced he would be entering the transfer portal. This decision came after reports indicated that Iamaleava was involved in a contract dispute with the school.

Iamaleava decided to transfer to join the UCLA Bruins, his home state team. As a result, former Appalachian State Mountaineers quarterback Joey Aguilar, who was originally committed to UCLA, changed his commitment and headed to Tennessee instead. Both players have played one game with their new schools, and ESPN's Paul Finebaum commented on which team won the deal during "SEC Nation."

"[Head coach Josh] Heupel had a big win against Syracuse," Finebaum said. "So did Joey Aguilar. I talked to him this week, and he was fired up. He looks very confident. It looks like Tennessee got the better end of that Nico deal."

Joey Aguilar Shines in Tennessee Debut

The Aguilar era for the Volunteers started off remarkably well. The Volunteers defeated the Syracuse Orange 45-26. Aguilar had an outstanding performance, passing for 247 yards and three touchdowns while completing 16 of 28 attempts. Additionally, he contributed on the ground with six carries for 34 yards.

In comparison, Iamaleava had only three games last year where he threw for more yards than Aguilar did in Week 1, which was against the Chattanooga Mocs, Kentucky Wildcats and Vanderbilt Commodores.

Nico Iamaleava Struggles in UCLA Opener

Aguilar made a remarkable debut, but Iamaleava and the Bruins faced significant challenges. In their opening game, the Bruins were overwhelmed by the Utah Utes, losing 43-10. Iamaleava passed for 136 yards, recorded one touchdown and threw one interception, completing 11 of 22 attempts. Having started 15 games, this marked the 10th time in his career Iamaleava threw for fewer than 200 yards.

What It Means for Tennessee and UCLA Moving Forward

It’s only Week 1, but the early returns are stark. Tennessee looks like it may have found the steady hand to keep its College Football Playoff dreams alive, while UCLA faces more questions than answers under Iamaleava. The story of this quarterback swap is far from finished, but for now, the Volunteers appear to be holding the upper hand.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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