Wisconsin's Defense Could Catch a Huge Break With UCLA QB Nico Iamaleava Injured

The Bruins could be down their starting quarterback Saturday night in Pasadena.

Oregon outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei sacks UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wisconsin's next opponent, UCLA, picked up a huge road win over then-No. 13 Oregon in Week 6.

However, it didn't make it out unscathed, as starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava suffered a leg injury and sat out the second half as UCLA snuck past the Ducks in Autzen Stadium.

A day and change removed from the game, the status of the Bruins' QB1 remains unclear. But speaking to reporters after the game in Eugene, UCLA head coach Bob Chesney didn't sound all that enthused about Iamaleava's injury.

“He wasn’t close to being able to come back today,” Chesney said. “I thought he got hit in the thigh. There might be a little more to it, which we’ll have to figure out as we go through the process tonight and tomorrow.”

We'll know more on Wednesday night when the Badgers and the Bruins drop their respective injury reports. But at the moment, the quarterback is firmly questionable if not doubtful based on the initial prognosis.

UCLA without Iamalaeava

UCLA Bruins quarterback Ty Dieffenbach. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In Iamaleava's stead, the Bruins turned to Ty Dieffenbach, a senior transfer who spent last season at FCS Cal Poly. He went 3-of-6 for 43 yards and a touchdown in relief of the starter. Chesney chose Dieffenbach over Iamaleava's brother, Madden, who had taken a handful of snaps in UCLA's big wins over Maryland and Purdue and was the presumed QB2.

If Iamaleava can't go late Saturday afternoon in Pasadena, Chesney will once again have to choose between the two. Early this season, Madden appeared to be the top backup. But Dieffenbach got the keys in a hostile environment on the road in an enormous game — it seems likely that in the event of Iamaleava's injury holding him out against the badgers, Chesney would again hand the offense over to Dieffenbach.

UCLA signed the 6-6, 227 pound gunslinger this offseason out of the transfer portal from FCS Cal Poly after he was previously with the Pitt Panthers. He has Division-I pedigree, but he never saw the field at Pittsburgh. Last season at Cal Poly, his numbers were certainly nothing special. Dieffenbach tossed for 1,305 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions on 58.6 percent completion.

He also ran for 321 yards and four touchdowns, but against the Ducks, Dieffenbach didn't display his mobility, with an official rushing stat-line of four carries for -15 yards.

Dieffenbach played well enough for UCLA to pull off the upset, as Oregon essentially handed the game to the Bruins, coughing the ball up a whopping seven times with two interceptions and five lost fumbles. But as the Ducks themselves learned with their backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, who played well after getting thrust into the fire against USC in their last game, it's much easier to defend against a backup quarterback when you've been game-planning for him all week. Dieffenbach has a different game and play-style than Iamaleava, which Oregon wasn't able to curtail mid-game.

Ultimately, the Bruins still pose a serious challenge for Wisconsin. This team is physical and well-coached, with some legitimate top-end talent, namely tailback Wayne Knight. But the absence of Iamaleava would be huge for the Badgers.