PASADENA, Calif. — With the world rumbling about whether Saturday night would be the last time UCLA will play a home football game at the Rose Bowl and move to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, it was a night that was filled with the Bruins taking one step forward and two steps back.
The stars did not line in UCLA's favor as mental mistakes, turnovers, penalties, and questionable play calls led to their demise in a 48-14 loss to Washington.
UCLA committed 6 penalties and 3 turnovers.
"We couldn't stop the bleeding," UCLA interim head coach Tim Skipper said. "We just couldn't really move it. They kept making plays, turnovers are always going to kill you, so we have to find a way to fix that as we get into next week."
The three turnovers committed by the Bruins all happened in the first half. All three led to scoring possessions by Washington for 13 points.
Fumbles by Mikey Matthews and Nico Iamaleava in the first and second quarters led to two different field goals made by Washington.
Washington's next score might've been the biggest blow for the Bruins.
With 1:56 left on the clock, UCLA was looking to get its first score of the game after Cole Martin had a 27-yard interception to put them on the Washington 25-yard line.
What looked like a sign that the tides had changed in the game was actually a pause before a series of unfortunate events.
Failing to move the ball forward after the first two plays, UCLA found themselves on a 3rd and 14.
Iamaleava dropped back to pass in an attempt to move the chains, but the ball landed incomplete, forcing the Bruins to settle for a field goal.
As the ball was snapped to holder Cash Peterman, he quickly lateraled the ball into the air, only for it to land on the ground be recovered by the Huskies for a 75-yard scoop and score touchdown, putting the Bruins in a 20-0 deficit they never got out of before halftime.
You don't see a scoop + score like this very often 😳 @UW_Football
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 23, 2025
📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/UelKeAERH4
"It's probably too complicated to be honest. They were in a block look, and they stemmed out of it, and the communication on our end got all jacked up when they stemmed out," Skipper said. "I'll take the heat for us, it was probably too complicated, there was too much miscommunication, and we miscommunicated."
When UCLA came out to play in the second half, Washington continued to pile on to its lead by scoring 28 more points. UCLA's offense scored its only two touchdowns of the game in the third and fourth quarters.
Nico Iamaleava exits the game early
After sitting out last week's 48-10 loss to Ohio State due to a concussion, Iamaleava was unable to finish tonight's game after taking a sack in the third quarter.
As he was going down on the play, another Washington defender joined in on the sack and leaned forward with his helmet into Iamaleava's.
After the hit, Iamaleava was down on the ground as the Bruins' medical staff came out to check on him.
"It's unfortunate to see him go down again, and I hope nothing but the best for his health," UCLA offensive lineman Garret Digorgio said. "It's obviously a part of the sport we play. We're forced to face those injuries; all we can do is try to get back as fast as possible."
Iamaleava managed to get up on his own two feet but did not finish the game as he was replaced by backup quarterback Luke Duncan.
"He was talking when we went out there. When he came out, he went into the tent, then into the locker room," Skipper said. "We'll get an update as we go, but that's all we really know."
Before the injury, Iamaleava was playing one of his worst games as a Bruin, despite being the heartbeat of the team this year. His night finished with him completing 16 of 29 passes for 69 yards.
On his first drive, Duncan commanded the offense and led the Bruins downfield for a score by throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to Matthews.
UCLA then tacked on one more touchdown in the fourth quarter when cornerback Kanye Clark forced a fumble out on a punt return, which Jamir Benjamin recovered for a touchdown.
