This Saturday’s clash against Wisconsin at the Rose Bowl just got a whole lot tougher for UCLA, with quarterback Nico Iamaleava officially sidelined. After suffering a leg injury last week against Oregon, Iamaleava is one of five Bruins listed as out for the game, a huge blow to their offensive plans.
The Bruin Injury Report Is Rough
Seriously, it’s not just Iamaleava. The Big Ten availability report, dropping late yesterday, delivered more bad news. Two key UCLA starters were downgraded from questionable all the way to doubtful: left tackle Jordan Davis and cornerback Rodrick Pleasant. That’s a brutal hit on both sides of the ball, leaving huge holes to fill before kickoff. On top of Iamaleava, the “out” list for UCLA includes defensive back Tao Johnson, receiver Mikey Matthews, receiver Jonah Smith, and offensive lineman Sam Yoon. And defensive back CJ Lavender is still listed as questionable. Can the Bruins even field a full squad at this point? It’s getting dicey out there.
Wisconsin’s Clean Bill of Health (Mostly)
While UCLA is scrambling, the Badgers’ report, filed back on Oct. 15, looks pretty stable, with no new changes. They do have cornerback Cai Bates out and running back Nate Palmer listed as doubtful. Center Austin Kawecki and quarterback Danny O’Neil are questionable for them, but running back Abu Sama and receiver Jaylon Domingeaux are probable. It’s not a perfectly clean slate, but compared to UCLA’s growing injury nightmare, Wisconsin looks to be in much better shape. There was a tiny bit of good news for UCLA, though: senior backup defensive lineman Ashton Sanders, who missed last week’s game, is no longer on the report, meaning he’s cleared to play. Every little bit helps when you’re this banged up, right?
The final availability report for both teams drops three hours before the 3:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday. Let’s hope the Bruins can rally despite all these setbacks. It’s going to take a heroic effort at the Rose Bowl to pull this one off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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