COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State sparked its 2024 College Football Playoff run by spending a cold night harassing a former five-star quarterback recruit. Now that five-star will be back for more in 2025, as Nico Iamaleava has transferred to UCLA.

His landing spot sends him home to California and gives him another shot at the Buckeyes. He’ll return on Nov. 15 when the Bruins and Buckeyes are scheduled to play at Ohio Stadium.

Iamaleava spent the 2024 season serving as Tennessee’s starting quarterback, leading the Volunteers to their first playoff berth. His reward was a trip to Ohio Stadium, where he struggled to do much of anything thanks to a motivated Buckeye defense led by their defensive line.

The former No. 3 player and No. 2 quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class was limited to just 104 yards on 14 of 31 passes while being forced to run more than in any other game in his career. The result was 47 yards on 20 carries and Tennessee’s only two touchdowns in a 42-17 OSU win. He was also sacked five times.

That was supposed to be a stepping stone for a brighter 2025. But a series of events, including his skipping of Tennessee’s final spring practice and spring game, sent Iamaleava to the transfer portal at the end of the spring.

The 2023 recruiting class featured five quarterbacks rated as five-star recruits. Iamaleava’s decision means that Texas’ Arch Manning — whom OSU will open the season against on Aug. 30 — is the only one of those five still with the team he signed with out of high school.

Depending on how things shake out, a third member of that class could be added in Oregon’s Dante Moore, who was originally at UCLA.

Southeastern Conference rules don’t allow players who enter the spring portal to be eligible for the 2025 season, forcing Iamaleava to leave the conference altogether when he left Tennessee.

The Buckeyes had no problem making their presence felt the last time Iamaleava came to Columbus. They used that game to spark the momentum needed to carry them through the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, resulting in a national title.

When he returns this fall, he’ll do so as a Big Ten foe.

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