During a tumultuous season, UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava and offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel found a way to collaborate on magic Saturday, delighting a former UCLA quarterback. The Bruins entered the day with a 0-3 record and welcomed Penn State to the Rose Bowl.
The Nittany Lions came into the game after losing an overtime matchup to Oregon in Happy Valley. With many believing Penn State would prevail, how did the Nittany Lions fare?
UCLA OC Jerry Neuheisel, QB Nico Iamaleava Combine Forces for Penn State Upset
The Bruins took the ball after the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards over the next four minutes and nine seconds to take a 7-0 lead. They never trailed, sending the visitors home on the losing end of a 42-34 outcome. More importantly, Iamaleava enjoyed his best outing as a college football player. The sophomore totaled 294 yards of combined offense — three rushing scores and two passing touchdowns — keeping Penn State off balance.
Neuheisel, the newly installed offensive coordinator, earned credit for the free-flowing offense. His father, Rick, a former UCLA standout quarterback and head coach, currently works as an analyst for CBS Sports. He spoke about what he saw from his son, his alma mater, and their starting quarterback.
Rick Neuheisel could not be more proud of his son. 💙
He reflects on watching Jerry’s work in UCLA’s win over Penn State. pic.twitter.com/sjTofC5gFW
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 4, 2025
“My dad goggles were on big time. We’re so proud of our kids. When they get a chance to do what they want and they get a stage and you get to watch them have that kind of success, it makes it all worthwhile. He got the job in the middle of the week. He’s got a special QB, and he’s got a special head coach.”
On Sept. 14, UCLA fired Deshaun Foster as its head coach, replacing him with Tim Skipper. Skipper selected Neuheisel as his offensive coordinator. When the school dismissed Foster, rumors swirled about Iamaleava possibly leaving via the transfer portal. Granted, he can still depart until Oct. 14, but there’s no sign he’s leaning that way.
“He got the job middle of the week, so he had to be real careful about how much new went in…
He’s got a special QB and he’s got a special head coach.”
— Our @CoachNeuheisel on his son, acting UCLA OC Jerry Neuheisel getting the win vs. PSU pic.twitter.com/Qu86K6kEHp
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) October 4, 2025
This game signals a bright light for UCLA to build upon. Meanwhile, it could foreshadow rough times ahead for Penn State. The Lions allowed 269 yards rushing to the Bruins. More importantly, the Bruins converted 10 of 16 third-down opportunities and maintained possession for 39 minutes and 17 seconds. The two teams combined for 44 second-half points as the home team led 27-7 at halftime.
Before the game, Iamaleava ranked 64th this season in PFSN’s College Quarterback metric, which takes a quarterback’s performance through the air and on the ground into consideration.
Where do the Bruins go from here? They head to East Lansing to face the Michigan State Spartans. Penn State, meanwhile, will welcome the Northwestern Wildcats. In which direction does this result send the teams?