UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava made his highly anticipated debut with the Bruins over the weekend following a tumultuous exit from Tennessee last spring. Iamaleava faced difficulties during the team’s 43-10 loss to Utah, completing just 11 of 22 passes for 136 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.

Iamaleava and UCLA will attempt to recover against UNLV on CBS Sports Network this Saturday. UNLV, under new coach Dan Mullen, has started the season with a 2-0 record, defeating Idaho State and Sam Houston. However, defensive back Aamaris Brown from UNLV expressed his reservations about Iamaleava, despite him being the No. 1 player in the transfer portal rankings.

“Honestly, nothing really sticks out to me about him [on tape],” Brown commented. “In the past, there’s been talk about ‘five-star this, five-star that’. I’ve played against too many four- and five-star players; they don’t intimidate me. I’ve faced tougher competition, including Alabama. Going up against Nico isn’t anything surprising or thrilling.”

Dan Mullen, however, believes the team faces a significant challenge with Iamaleava stating, “Watching the film, you see the talent he possesses. His statistical performance may not reflect it, but you can definitely see his talent on screen… I expect [Nico] to be fired up and ready to perform after his last game.”

This matchup marks the third historical encounter between UNLV and UCLA, with the Bruins winning both previous contests.