College Football HQ

Nico Iamaleava faces backlash from Tennessee fans during College GameDay

"Nico sucks!"
Patrick Previty|
UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava
UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Tennessee fans let their feelings be known Saturday morning. During ESPN’s live College GameDay build-up to No. 6 Georgia at No. 15 Tennessee, loud "Nico sucks!" chants drowned out Kirk Herbstreit on the set. The chants are directed toward former Volunteers quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who transferred to UCLA in April.

On the GameDay set, when Rece Davis tossed it to Pete Thamel, even the on-air crew couldn't ignore it any longer. "Well, in some breaking news I don't think they like Nico Iamaleava a lot here," Thamel said.

Iamaleava's departure followed a tense 48-hour standoff in April over NIL terms. Iamaleava's camp reportedly pushed for roughly a $4 million NIL figure for 2025. Then, after he missed a spring practice, coach Josh Heupel announced the program was moving on and Iamaleava entered the portal and landed at UCLA.

The split came just months after Iamaleava authored a great first season for the Vols — Tennessee’s first appearance in the 12-team College Football Playoff (a 42–17 loss at Ohio State).

At UCLA, the first 3 games have been rough. The Bruins are 0–3 after a 43–10 loss to Utah in the opener, a 30–23 loss at UNLV sealed by a late interception, and a 35–10 home loss to New Mexico on Friday night. Iamaleava went 11-for-22 for 136 yards, a TD and an INT vs. Utah, he threw for 255 yards (29-for-41) with a TD and late pick at UNLV, and he couldn't come close to matchup the production of New Mexico's rushing offense (298 yards).

In Knoxville, the other half of the de facto QB trade has clicked. Joey Aguilar — who spent the spring at UCLA before enrolling at Tennessee in June and being named the Vols’ starter on Aug. 17 — has piloted two comfortable wins. One of them being a 45–26 win over Syracuse and the other a 72–17 win over ETSU. Aguilar threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1, then 288 yards and two scores (all before halftime) in Week 2, giving him 535 yards and five TDs without a pick through two games. Tennessee's 72 points marked the program’s highest output since 1929.

Saturday’s GameDay scene was the most visible point yet of a months-long fan backlash. Add that UCLA lost just the night prior and Tennessee still looks like they have playoff hopes this season — it was definitely going to be rough.

Published
Patrick Previty
PATRICK PREVITY

In addition to writing for On SI, Patrick is also a site expert for Canes Warning and has previously written for outlets such as Betsided, Orlando Magic Daily and Southbound and Down. He serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN+, covering UCF athletics and the Big 12 Conference. In 2024, he hosted a live, on-site UCF football pregame show that aired on ESPN+. Patrick has interviewed numerous figures in the college sports world, ranging from players to UCF’s athletic director. Recently, he traveled to Mobile, Ala., to cover the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he spoke with multiple NFL Draft prospects. Patrick also hosts coverage of the Orlando Magic for Digest Media on YouTube and has become one of the leading voices on the team in the region. Patrick also helps run the social media department for The Voice of College Football Network, focusing on breaking news and digital storytelling. Patrick previously spent time at CNN in the sports department, where he assisted with CNN’s World Sport show and Bleacher Report updates for morning programming. Hailing from the Tampa Bay Area, Patrick is a lifelong fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Orlando Magic and UCF Knights.

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