UCLA’s star quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, was set to return to the same stadium where he took a brutal loss last year, ready to prove whatever he had left in his tank. But in a surprising twist, the 6’6 gunslinger is suddenly missing from the lineup. After taking a hit last week, the hidden effects of that injury showed up late, and the Bruins are now beyond saving at this point.

On November 14, College football insider Brett Murphy hopped onto X and spilled the injury update on Nico Iamaleava. UCLA took a massive hit ahead of its matchup with No. 1 Ohio State, as starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava has been ruled out with a concussion, per On3. The Bruins didn’t realize the issue right away.

Notably, Nico actually finished last week’s game against Nebraska before symptoms showed up afterward. It’s tricky timing for UCLA, especially with a road trip to Columbus coming up.

Iamaleava had been the engine of UCLA’s offense all season. In the 28–21 loss to Nebraska, he played well, completing 17 of 25 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 86 yards. The former Tennessee quarterback had started all nine games this year and was the only UCLA QB to attempt a pass this season.

This also isn’t the first time Nico has faced Ohio State—and that memory isn’t a good one. His final game at Tennessee came last year against the Buckeyes in the round of 16, where he completed 14 of 31 passes for just 104 yards in a 42–17 loss in Columbus. Now, his first year at UCLA hits another tough chapter, as he’ll once again miss a showdown with the top team in the country.

With Iamaleava out, UCLA is turning to sophomore Luke Duncan, who has barely seen the field this season. His only appearance came in a brief moment against Michigan State back on October 11. Now he’s expected to make his first career start, and it comes on the road, in one of the loudest stadiums in college football, against the No. 1 team. It’s a tall task for the Bruins and a major storyline heading into Saturday.

How badly is UCLA getting cooked today?

One thing we all can agree on: based on 11 weeks of football, nobody’s touching Ohio State now. Their offense doesn’t chase big highlight plays, but it wins with structure. Julian Sayin keeps the Buckeyes on schedule with quick, efficient throws. In comparison, the run game performs as usual. Another thing, they rarely make mistakes, protect the quarterback extremely well, and ensure their WR1 can get the ball as much as possible. On the other side of the ball, their defense barely gives up yards or points, and most opponents struggle just to move the chains.

UCLA walks into Columbus with almost every disadvantage possible. Plus, the biggest one comes before the game even starts. Nico Iamaleava is out with a concussion, leaving the Bruins without the quarterback who carried their offense all season.

All due respect, UCLA has a solid run game, but its passing attack has been one of the least efficient in the country. Their offensive line struggles with mistakes, and their defense allows over 30 points per game. Without Nico’s legs and improvising ability, it’s hard to imagine how the freshman signal-caller will deal with the front-seven.

With Nico unavailable, the matchup becomes even more lopsided. Ohio State should control the game from the get-go to the final whistle. UCLA will probably try to lean on its running backs and keep the score respectable. But long-yardage situations will be a significant problem without their starting quarterback. As the game progresses, the Buckeyes’ depth and physical advantage should wear down UCLA.

In this spot, Ohio State is the safer pick to win big, with the Bruins simply trying to avoid a blowout in Columbus. The final score prediction would be like 43-9. Let’s see.