UCLA pulled off a 17-15 upset win over Oregon on Saturday, but the game is drawing attention for a moment officials never flagged: a late hit on Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava that television replays caught clearly.
During a tackle, Oregon defenders Bear Alexander and Jerry Mixon brought Iamaleava to the ground. As the quarterback was going down, cameras showed Alexander winding up and striking Iamaleava in the face-mask well after the play was effectively over, jolting the quarterback’s entire helmet.
Mixon also appeared to throw a punch on the same play, though his attempt did not connect and looked more like an effort to knock the ball loose than a direct shot at Iamaleava.
No penalty was called on the play. Broadcast commentators replayed the hit several times but never addressed it directly, which added to frustration among fans who saw the footage circulate afterward.
Iamaleava appeared unaffected by the hit itself, but he left the game with an apparent leg injury in the second quarter and did not return, missing the entire second half.
Even without their starting quarterback for the final two periods, the Bruins held on. UCLA improved to 5-0 with the win, while Oregon, previously ranked No. 13, fell to 3-2 on its home field. UCLA entered the matchup ranked No. 21.
