Nico Iamaleava Says Being Overlooked Will Fuel UCLA This Season

UCLA football is entering a new era under head coach Bob Chesney this season.

Key points

• After a disastrous 0-4 start to last season and a mid-season coaching change, the 2026 season will offer the Bruins an opportunity to rewrite the narrative surrounding the program.
• This person transferred to UCLA from Tennessee last season, is back for his second season with the Bruins.
• The new Bruins will be on full display in their season opener against California on Sept.
• UCLA hired Chesney as head coach back in December, and he has spent the past a number of months transforming UCLA back into a winning program.

UCLA football is entering a new era under head coach Bob Chesney this season. After a disastrous 0-4 start to last season and a mid-season coaching change, the 2026 season will offer the Bruins an opportunity to rewrite the narrative surrounding the program. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava. This person transferred to UCLA from Tennessee last season, is back for his second season with the Bruins. The 2025 season was not the ideal start to Iamaleava's career in Westwood, so Iamaleava will playing with more to prove this season. Iamaleava remarked to journalists that UCLA's underdog status is going to assist fuel the team this season. "I think everyone counted us out, man. Last year wasn't a great year for us, " Iamaleava remarked. "We're not on anybody's radar so I think that fuels us, and really playing for each other is going to be the main thing for us." UCLA's Season Opener Is Two Weeks Away UCLA hired Chesney as head coach back in December, and he has spent the past a number of months transforming UCLA back into a winning program. In practice, the new Bruins will be on full display in their season opener against California on Sept. 5 at the California Memorial Stadium. Then, a week afterwards, UCLA will be back at the Rose Bowl for a home opener against San Diego State. UCLA's first Major Ten conference game will be against Purdue on Sept. 19 at the Rose Bowl.

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Quarterback Nico Iamaleava. This person transferred to UCLA from Tennessee last season, is back for his second season with the Bruins. The 2025 season was not the ideal start to Iamaleava's career in Westwood, so Iamaleava will playing with more to prove this season.

Iamaleava remarked to journalists that UCLA's underdog status is going to assist fuel the team this season.

"I think everyone counted us out, man. Last year wasn't a great year for us, " Iamaleava remarked. "We're not on anybody's radar so I think that fuels us, and really playing for each other is going to be the main thing for us." UCLA's Season Opener Is Two Weeks Away.

In practice, the new Bruins will be on full display in their season opener against California on Sept. 5 at the California Memorial Stadium. Then, a week afterwards, UCLA will be back at the Rose Bowl for a home opener against San Diego State.

UCLA's first Major Ten conference game will be against Purdue on Sept. 19 at the Rose Bowl.

For now, nico Iamaleava Says Being Overlooked Will Fuel UCLA This Season remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.