Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

WEEK 8 BIG TEN SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA, K – Jr. – San Diego, Calif. – Del Norte,...Connected on 2-of-3 field goals to help UCLA to a 20-17 win against Maryland...Hit a go-ahead and game-winning field goal from 23 yards out with two seconds remaining in the game, his second game-winning field goal since arriving at UCLA...Also hit from 42 yards out earlier in the game...Last UCLA Special Teams Players of the Week: Mateen Bhaghani (Sept. 9, 2024). - Big Ten Football

(DS#999 K) Jr/2027

K Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA
News Source: Big Ten Football
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10/19/25 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Mateen Bhaghani kicked a 23-yard field goal with two seconds to play, and UCLA beat Maryland 20-17 Saturday night to extend its improbable season turnaround with a third consecutive victory. Nico Iamaleava passed for 221 yards and led three scoring drives in the final six minutes despite going down with an apparent knee injury during that wild stretch for the Bruins (3-4, 3-1 Big Ten), who managed to stay on the upswing in their roller coaster of a season. "I think it's all about belief, (and) the guys believe," UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper said. "There's nothing that happened throughout the game that's going to take our confidence away, and you don't really know that until you get in a tight game like that. I found out today that these guys believe."

Iamaleava threw a go-ahead, 14-yard touchdown pass to Mikey Matthews with 3:33 to play, and Bhaghani's first field goal put the Bruins up 17-10 with 2:09 to play shortly after Scooter Jackson intercepted Malik Washington's pass deep in Maryland territory. But Washington, who passed for 210 yards, led the Terrapins (4-3, 1-3) on a dramatic drive, hitting Jalil Farooq for an 8-yard TD with 40 seconds left. Iamaleava, who appeared to have a serious injury only moments earlier, returned to the field and drove the Bruins 68 yards in 31 seconds. "I knew with Nico, when I saw him start to walk off and his face started to come back normal, I was like, "Hey, we have a shot here," Skipper said with a grin. Iamaleava completed two passes for 33 yards before Anthony Frias - who made an early 55-yard touchdown run for UCLA - made a 35-yard run to the Maryland 5 to set up Bhaghani's tiebreaking field goal. "It just shows how much of a leader (Iamaleava) is," Matthews said. "He came back and pushed through. He has that dog in him, no matter what." The Bruins rallied to win despite committing three turnovers in these schools' first meeting since 1955, including an interception returned 8 yards for a touchdown by Maryland's Jamare Glasker in the third quarter. UCLA also went nine straight drives without scoring before Matthews' TD catch. - UCLA/AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: UCLA/AP College Football
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10/11/25 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Jalen Berger scored three touchdowns and Nico Iamaleava threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns Saturday to lead UCLA to a 38-13 victory over Michigan State. Berger, who transferred to UCLA from Michigan State after the 2023 season, ran for 83 yards on 13 carries and also had three catches for 24 yards. It is the second straight win for the Bruins (2-4, 2-1 Big Ten) after dropping the first four games of the season. After the Spartans (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten) scored first on quarterback Aidan Chiles’ 2-yard run, UCLA dominated the rest of the first half and ran off 38 straight points.

Mateen Bhaghani nailed a 47-yard field goal, Iamaleava tossed touchdown passes to Berger and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala as UCLA jumped to a 24-7 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Jaivian Thomas added a 1-yard scoring run and Berger had his second touchdown catch. Chiles was forced from the game with 11:12 left in the third quarter when he was sacked by Keanu Williams. Chiles was evaluated in the medical tent and watched the remainder of the game from the sideline. He was replaced by Alessio Milivojevic who threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Nick Marsh in the fourth quarter. - UCLA/AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: UCLA/AP College Football
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10/08/25 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

WEEK 6 BIG TEN OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nico Iamaleava, UCLA, QB - So. - Long Beach, Calif. - Warren,...Accounted for five touchdowns and 294 yards of total offense to lead UCLA to a 42-37 upset against No. 7 Penn State...Set single-game career highs in rushing yards and touchdowns and tied a program record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback...Led UCLA to the program's first home win over a top 10 AP team since 2007, the most points allowed and rushing yards (269) by Penn State in a regular season game since 2022...Had a 52-yard scramble in the third quarter, a career-long rush and UCLA's longest play of the season...Last UCLA Offensive Player of the Week: Ethan Garbers (Oct. 21, 2024). - Big Ten Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: Big Ten Football
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10/06/25 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

WEEK 6 WALTER CAMP NATIONAL FBS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: NICO IAMALEAVA, UCLA, RS Sophomore, Quarterback, Long Beach, CA,...Nico Iamaleava accounted for all five of UCLA's touchdowns (2 passing, 3 rushing) and 294 yards of total offense (166 passing, 128 rushing) to lead the Bruins to a 42-37 upset over No. 7 Penn State. It marked UCLA's first home win over a Top-10 team since 2007. In the victory, Iamaleava set single-game career highs in rushing (128 yards) and rushing touchdowns (three). Notes: It is the ninth time since 2004 that a UCLA player has earned Walter Camp National FBS Player of Week honors. Iamaleava is the first UCLA honoree since former quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Sept. 22, 2019). - Walter Camp Football Foundation

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: Walter Camp Football Foundation
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10/06/25 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

WEEK 6 ASSOCIATED PRESS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Nico Iamaleava, UCLA, The transfer quarterback from Tennessee was responsible for all five UCLA touchdowns in the 42-37 upset of Penn State. With tight ends and wide receivers coach Jerry Neuheisel calling the plays for the first time, Iamaleava completed 17 of 24 passes for 166 yards and two TDs and ran for 128 yards and three scores on 16 carries.

Iamaleava led the Volunteers to a 10-3 record and the College Football Playoff last season. He announced his transfer to UCLA in April and lost his first four games as the starter. His head coach, DeShaun Foster, was fired after the third game and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri was let go after the fourth. Iamaleava is completing 66% of his passes (98 of 148) for 191 yards per game and six TDs. He's thrown three interceptions and been sacked 12 times. He leads the Bruins in rushing with 66 yards per game and four TDs. - AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: AP College Football
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09/15/25 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

UCLA fired second-year football coach DeShaun Foster on Sunday after the school's first 0-3 start since 2019. Athletic director Martin Jarmond announced the move two days after the Bruins lost to New Mexico 35-10, their second straight loss to a Mountain West Conference opponent. "It's not a decision I made lightly, but it was important to take decisive action," Jarmond said on a Zoom call with media. "This serves as a message to our fans that the results we've seen so far are simply not acceptable." Tim Skipper will serve as interim coach for the rest of the season, which includes games against three highly ranked Big Ten Conference opponents. Skipper had been special assistant to Foster, and he served as Fresno State's interim coach last year. Foster was 5-10 since taking over the program from Chip Kelly in February 2024, after national signing day and relatively late in the recruiting process. "I regret putting DeShaun in that position as we were going into the Big Ten," Jarmond said. "Getting a start so late really disadvantaged the start of his coaching career."

Last year, the Bruins finished 5-7 after a 1-5 start in the school's first season in the Big Ten. Foster had been the program's running backs coach from 2017-23 and added the title of associate head coach in 2023 before being promoted to the top job by Jarmond. Foster spent one season on the staff at Texas Tech. The Bruins were beaten by Utah in their opener and by UNLV a week ago. They trailed at halftime in all three losses, two of them coming at the Rose Bowl, where attendance was sparse and tarps are used to cover wide swaths of seating. Foster was asked Friday if he was still the person for the job, and he replied: "Most definitely. Because I can get these boys to play." However, even the arrival of highly touted quarterback Nico Iamaleava via the transfer portal couldn't save Foster. The sophomore left Tennessee after leading the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff last season and didn't participate in spring camp. - AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: AP College Football
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08/31/25 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Nico Iamaleava made a bigger splash in the transfer portal than he did in his debut for UCLA. The highly touted quarterback who left Tennessee after taking the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff last season struggled in a 43-10 loss to Utah at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night. Iamaleava was sacked four times for 28 yards lost. He was 11 of 22 for 136 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception. Iamaleava was the Bruins' leading rusher with 13 carries for 47 yards, the most by a UCLA quarterback since Ethan Garbers had 56 at Nebraska last season. Iamaleava was outshone by Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, a New Mexico transfer who was 21 of 25 for 206 yards and two TDs. He also was the Utes' leading rusher with 16 carries for 87 yards. - AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: AP College Football
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09/10/24 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

WEEK 2 SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Nico Iamaleava, QB, Fr.,...Iamaleava, in his third career start, led Tennessee to a 51-10 win over No. 24 NC State by accounting for 276 total yards of offense and three touchdowns. He completed 16-of-23 passes for 211 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and added 65 rushing yards on eight carries, including a 31-yard touchdown run. This was Iamaleava's second win over a ranked opponent in three starts and the second time in his career that he both rushed for and passed for a touchdown in the same game. - SEC Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: SEC Football
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09/03/24 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

WEEK 1 SEC CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Nico Iamaleava, QB, RS-Fr.,...Iamaleava, making his second career start and first in Neyland Stadium, set a Tennessee school record for passing yards in a half (314) to lead the No. 15 Vols to a 69-3 season-opening victory over Chattanooga. He only played the first half and finished 22-of-28 for 314 yards with three touchdowns and no picks. The first-half passing yards broke the previous record of 313 set by Tyler Bray in the first half vs. Troy on Nov. 3, 2012. Nico's performance was the fourth 300-yard passing total in a half in Tennessee history. Iamaleava opened the game 10-of-10 for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Iamaleava was the first UT freshman - redshirt or true - to start at quarterback in a season opener since true freshman Brent Schaeffer did vs. UNLV on Sept. 5, 2004. His 78.6 completion percentage was the sixth-best in the country for Week 1 and the best by any freshman in the nation. - SEC Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: SEC Football
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09/03/24 - Mateen Bhaghani, Jr/2027, UCLA, 6-1, 175 (DS#999 K) + More +

WEEK 1 BIG TEN CO-SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mateen Bhaghani, So., K, UCLA,...Went 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, including a game-winning 32-yarder with less than a minute remaining in UCLA's 16-13 win at Hawai'i...Also connected from 22 and 37 yards out...Over three kickoffs, had one touchback and averaged 63.7 yards...All three field goals came in the second half, helping UCLA overcome a 10-0 halftime deficit. - Big Ten Football

(DS#999 K) Jr/2027

K Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA
News Source: Big Ten Football
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08/31/24 - Mateen Bhaghani, Jr/2027, UCLA, 6-1, 175 (DS#999 K) + More +

Mateen Bhaghani converted a 32-yard field goal with 56 seconds to play to help UCLA open its season with a 16-13 win over Hawaii on Saturday night. The Bruins (1-0) did all their scoring in the second half to erase a 10-0 halftime deficit against the Rainbow Warriors (1-1). UCLA overcame a lackluster first 30 minutes of the game and eventually evened the score at 13 with 14:05 to play on Bhaghani's 37-yard field goal that came five plays after an interception by D.J. Justice.

The Bruins started their final drive with 3:08 to play and drove 45 yards in seven plays, capped by Bhaghani's game-winning 32-yard field goal from the left hash that split the uprights. Hawaii scored on its opening possession, when it orchestrated a nine-play, 73-yard drive that was punctuated by a 19-yard touchdown pass from Brayden Schager to a wide open Pofele Ashlock. Schager was 7-for-7 passing on the drive for 51 yards on the drive, which was extended by a 19-yard gain by punter Lucas Borrow on fourth-and-6. Kansei Matsuzawa's 28-yard field goal as time expired in the first half gave Hawaii a 10-0 lead at the intermission. The field goal was set up by Logan Taylor's interception and seven-yard return to the UCLA 5-yard line. - AP College Football

(DS#999 K) Jr/2027

K Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA
News Source: AP College Football
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08/31/24 - Nico Iamaleava, rSo/2028, UCLA, 6-5, 215 (DS#18 QB) + More +

Nico Iamaleava threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns - all in the first half - in his first regular-season start to lead the 15th-ranked Volunteers to a 69-3 victory over Chattanooga on Saturday. Dylan Sampson rushed for 124 yards and three scores in the first half as the Volunteers had an easy opener against an in-state FCS foe. Chattanooga, ranked eighth in the FCS preseason poll, didn't cross into Tennessee territory until its first drive of the second half. Tennessee dominated both sides of the ball in the first half and built a 45-0 lead. The Vols put up 490 yards of total offense and the Mocs didn't get past their own 47. - AP College Football

(DS#18 QB) rSo/2028

QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
News Source: AP College Football
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12/27/23 - Laiatu Latu, rSr/2024, UCLA, 6-5, 259 (DS#1 DE) + More +

2023 PAC-12 PAT TILLMAN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Laiatu Latu, UCLA,...Latu becomes the 5th Bruin to win this award all-time and the first since DL Brian Price in 2009. DE Dave Ball took home the honors for UCLA in 2003 along with MLB Robert Thomas in 2001 and DT Mark Walen in 1985...Back-to-back seasons as first team All-Pac-12...Leads the nation with 21.5 TFL this season and the most by a Bruin since Anthony Barr finished the 2012 season with 21.5...Tied for 4th in the country with 13.0 sacks this season and tied for the 3rd highest in UCLA history...Most by a Bruin in a season since Barr had 13.5 in 2012.

Just the 4th Pac-12 player with at least 13.0 sacks in the last 7 seasons...Finalist for the Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award, Lott IMPACT Award and Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year...Won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week once this season and Defensive Lineman of the Week twice...Leads a UCLA defense that is 11th in the country with just 299.0 yards per game allowed, 3rd in TFL per game (8.2) and 5th in sacks per game (3.42)...The Bruins defense leads the nation with just 69.6 rush yards per game allowed and their 41 team sacks is the most by a UCLA team since 2012. - Pac-12 Football

(DS#1 DE) rSr/2024

DE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
News Source: Pac-12 Football
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02/01/23 - Keanu Williams, rSr/2026, UCLA, 6-4, 320 (DS#999 DT) + More +

Former Oregon defensive tackle Keanu Williams is staying in the Pac-12. Williams, who entered the transfer portal earlier this month, committed to UCLA on Saturday. He'll reunite with former Ducks Moliki Matavao, Jaylin Davies and Jaylan Jeffers with the Bruins. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Williams had two tackles and a pass breakup while appearing in six games as a redshirt-freshman this season. He had three tackles in four games while redshirting in 2021. He's the 16th former UO player to commit to or sign with a new team this offseason. - The Oregonian

(DS#999 DT) rSr/2026

DT Keanu Williams, UCLA
News Source: The Oregonian
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