Oregon has 'must watch' ahead of Ducks' College Football Playoff Rose Bowl game that could change everything
For winning the Big Ten Championship, the Oregon Ducks get to sit back and prepare (and get healthy) for a Rose Bowl appearance on New Year's Day, meaning the Ducks have three and a half weeks off before they take the field again.Their eyes, and those of the fans, will be glued to this weekend's […]
For winning the Big Ten Championship, the Oregon Ducks get to sit back and prepare (and get healthy) for a Rose Bowl appearance on New Year's Day, meaning the Ducks have three and a half weeks off before they take the field again.
Their eyes, and those of the fans, will be glued to this weekend's Ohio State vs Tennessee first round matchup, the winner of which will join Oregon in Pasadena.
Ducks fans are intimately familiar with the Buckeyes at this point, but Tennessee poses a bit of an unknown commodity. There's plenty of reason to believe that the Vols can give Ohio State a legitimate fight, and they shouldn't be looked past. It all starts with Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Iamaleava, the redshirt freshman quarterback that took over the reins for the Tennessee Vols, is dripping with athleticism and upside. I turned to my colleague Ian Valentino, a college football and NFL Draft guru, for some insights into Iamaleava. Here's what he had to say.
Ohio State has to be cognizant of every movement Iamaleava makes. The massive 6-foot-6, 215-pounder is as freakish as quarterbacks come, possessing good speed and a massive right arm. Physically, he's capable of transcending any situation, and that should be terrifying as the freshman has come into his own over the last six weeks of the season.
Making smarter decisions and reducing his turnover-worthy throws in that timeframe, Ohio State can't treat Iamaleava as either a Cam Newton-level presence or as a rocky first-year starter. He's somewhere in between, boasting good efficiency numbers running a favorable scheme that generates chunk plays with ease. What Ohio State has to worry about his whether his growth is linear, and if we're about to see a nuclear-level jump in his development with a few weeks to go back to the drawing board.
Maybe it won't matter, as Iamaleava has taken 26 sacks and over a quarter of his pressures result in sacks. He'll hold the ball until plays develop, and could benefit from scrambling more. But if he improves where he can, Iamaleava could be the best overall player on the field at any time.
Iamaleava is a true wild card with huge upside in front of him. He's a first-year starter that shows inconsistency and decision-making issues at times, but the upside and ability that he possesses is absurd.
For the matchup with Ohio State, which version of Iamaeava shows up is going to play a massive role in determining the outcome of the game, and eventually, who the Ducks will face in the Rose Bowl.
Tune into this game. On a massive stage, on the road, in forecasted cold temperatures, Iamaleava has an opportunity to rise to the occasion and add a chapter to Tennessee football lore.
Follow along all year for more Oregon Ducks coverage on A to Z Sports. You can find me on Bluesky @jonhelmkamp.bsky.social, as well as follow our main page @AtoZSports.bsky.social for all the latest news.
