Ranking Nico Iamaleava's 2024 Performances: #2 Alabama

Iamaleava is starting a new journey, but let's look back at his stellar redshirt freshman season game-by-game.

Oct 19, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) runs the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Nico Iamaleava is one of the largest topics of conversation in college football ahead of his redshirt sophomore season with the UCLA Bruins.

After a stellar redshirt freshman season with the Tennessee Volunteers that led them to their first ever College Football Playoff appearance, Iamaleava entered the transfer portal after a NIL dispute that was largely publicized and turned him into one of the most polarizing figures in college football.

He finished last season leading the Vols to a 10-3 record and passed for 2,616 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions on 63.8% (213-334) completion percentage. With that being said, let's rank Iamaleava's best performances of the season, moving onto No. 2 -- Oct. 19 vs Alabama.

Though this wasn't one if Iamaleava's best passing performances, he showed poise down the stretch of the game to knock off the No. 7-ranked Crimson Tide at the time and pick up a huge win to extend a win streak.

Iamaleava finished passing for 194 yards on 14-for-27 (51.9%) completions for one touchdown and an interception. He also added 44 rushing yards on nine carries. He finished this 24-17 win with a 117.0 passer rating and an ESPN Adjusted QBR rating of 83.9.

The first half of this game was a grudge match as Alabama led 7-0 entering halftime. Vols running back Dylan Sampson equalized things with 6:32 left in the third quarter with a two-yard rushing touchdown after a seven-play, 91-yard drive.

The Crimson Tide hit a field goal to go up 10-7 with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter, until Sampson rushed for another touchdown with a minute left to put Tennessee up 14-10.

Down 17-14 with six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Iamaleava sealed the game with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Chris Brazzell II after orchestrating a seven-play, 54-yard drive to take the lead with 5:52 remaining. Tennessee wound up kicking a field goal with 1:30 remaining to ice the game and get a huge win.

A game like this is huge for a redshirt freshman. Despite his struggles, he was able to score the go-ahead touchdown against their toughest opponent in the regular season. Bruins fans should look at this game as promising for the incoming redshirt sophomore in a stacked conference like the Big Ten.

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