UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava makes an embarrassing mistake against Oregon

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UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava makes an embarrassing mistake against Oregon

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated Oct 10, 2026 5:00 PM ET

Nico Iamaleava got an ill-timed case of the butter fingers during Saturday’s pivotal game.

No. 21-ranked UCLA played Saturday against No. 13-ranked Oregon. In the first quarter at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., disaster struck for the Bruins quarterback Iamaleava.

On the first play of a UCLA drive from their own 10-yard line, Iamaleava took the snap from the shotgun formation. Upon being pressured by the Oregon pass rush, Iamaleava panicked and went for a quick throw.

Unfortunately for Iamaleava, the ball slipped out of his grasp before he even got set with his throwing motion. The ensuing fumble was recovered by Oregon’s Koi Perich at UCLA’s 1-yard line.

Nico Iamaleava https://t.co/GT51BhGOE5
— Reason (@the_real_reason) October 10, 2026

Here is a closer angle of Iamaleava’s costly mistake.

Not what Nico was hoping for… https://t.co/lJyW7gIY3i
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) October 10, 2026

Oregon would then score a touchdown on the very next play for the game’s opening score. UCLA settled down from there however and went on to score 10 points unanswered to take back the lead in the first half.

The senior Iamaleava had helped the Bruins to a 4-0 start to the season with 820 passing yards and four touchdowns (plus an additional 143 yards and one touchdown on the ground). But in the biggest game of the year so far against Big Ten rival Oregon, Iamaleava had some old issues rear their ugly heads again.

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