The last time that Nico Iamleava visited Columbus, Ohio, the circumstances were much different than Saturday, but the Buckeyes are hoping that the result will be the same
A lot can change over the course of a 12-month period.
This time last year, UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava had all the hype in the world surrounding him and the Tennessee Volunteers. In his freshman year, he had shown signs of promise that he has what it takes to be a great SEC quarterback for years to come.
Iamaleava was an intriguing prospect, as he was a former elite volleyball player who stands at 6-foot-6, weighing in at a rail-thin 215 lbs. He has a live arm and the willingness to stick his nose into the run game when needed.
The former five-star prospect had the Volunteers as a top-10 team in the country, and their reward for a great regular season was the opportunity to face the wounded Ohio State Buckeyes.
ESPN had the wherewithal to schedule the primetime matchup as the final game of the College Football Playoff first round. It was an 8:00 PM kickoff on a cold December night, but the lasting memory of the game was Tennessee players taking the field for warmups without their shirts on.
It was a silly statement that the Volunteers were trying to make, and they followed it with a poor performance.
The Buckeyes jumped on Tennessee right away after forcing a three-and-out on Iamaleava's first drive and managed to turn it into a quick, easy drive for a long touchdown to star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
It was an uphill climb for the Volunteers all night.
Ohio State used a 21-point first quarter to take a massive lead, but Iamleava fought back with a 10-point second quarter that gave them a fighter's chance heading into the second half.
Tennessee's hopes did not last long, however, as the Buckeyes pulled away in the third quarter and coasted to a massive 42-17 victory.
Iamleava had a dreadful night and one that he wants to forget. He finished that night completing 14 of his 31 attempts for 104 yards passing. He carried the ball 20 times for just 47 yards but did score two touchdowns.
This time around, he leads a Bruins team into Columbus that is looking for something to keep their season afloat.
It's clear that UCLA has faced it's fair share of woes this season. After starting 0-3, they fired their entire coaching staff only to rip off three straight victories over Penn State, Michigan State, and Maryland. With a 3-3, fans had high hopes of making a bowl game until three straight losses set them back to 3-6 on the year.
The Bruins now come into Columbus just two weeks removed from an absolute drubbing at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers. Iamaleava will need a heroic effort on Saturday to keep the game close. He certainly cannot afford to play the way he did last year.
He, and the Bruins have a tall mountain to climb.