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The Tennessee Volunteers started off the 2024 season in a big way, powered by a relentless offense led by redshirt freshman Nico Iamaleava. Tennessee football fans had long been awaiting the official arrival of the young quarterback, who they believed was their next great star.
Through the first three games of the season, the Vols were humming, blasting opponents while averaging 63.6 points per game and boasting the No. 1 offense in the country. But when Tennessee headed to Oklahoma, the competition ramped up, and Iamaleava and the offense haven’t looked as intimidating since.
Over the last three games, the Vols' offense has averaged 20.6 points per game, going 2-1, with a nail-biter against Florida last weekend. There's still hope that this is just a minor hiccup as coach Josh Heupel continues to mold his young quarterback and gets back to the offense that took over the country in 2022.
The problem is No. 11 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) welcomes archrival No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) this weekend in an SEC matchup that will most likely have playoff ramifications. How will the Vols and their quarterback respond? Let's get into some bold predictions for Nico Iamaleava against the Crimson Tide in Week 8.
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Nico Iamaleava passes for at least 200 yards against Alabama
Iamaleava was one of the most highly touted prospects in recent memory, not just because of his potential as a dual-threat sensation but also for his ability to throw the ball downfield accurately. However, Iamaleava has only surpassed the 200-yard passing mark twice this season, both coming in the first two games—against FCS Chattanooga and NC State. In the other four games, finding open receivers and throwing deep has been a challenge.
Iamaleava can take inspiration from Alabama's recent opponents, such as Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, both of whom threw for well over 200 yards against the Crimson Tide. The Vols' signal-caller is due for another 200-yard performance this season, and there may be no better opportunity than against Alabama’s struggling defense.
Nico Iamaleava rushes for at least 75 yards against Alabama
As much as Vols fans are eager to see Iamaleava sling it down the field, they’re also curious about what he can do with his legs—a big part of his game that hasn't been fully unleashed yet. Coach Heupel hasn’t leaned heavily on Iamaleava’s mobility, largely because the ground game has been well-handled by Dylan Sampson, who’s become one of the best backs in the country.
That said, incorporating designed runs for Iamaleava could be on the table this week against Alabama, which has had some trouble containing mobile quarterbacks like Diego Pavia and LaNorris Sellers. Iamaleava’s best rushing performance this season came against NC State, where he ran for 65 yards on eight carries and scored a touchdown. Perhaps this is the week we see the Vols’ quarterback take off running—literally.
Nico Iamaleava throws at least one touchdown against Alabama
Much like his passing yards, Iamaleava hasn’t exactly been lighting up the scoreboard in terms of touchdowns, either. In fact, he hasn’t found the end zone with his arm or his legs in the last two games—something that wasn’t anticipated by Tennessee fans, especially considering the high expectations placed on the redshirt freshman, even in just his seventh start.
So far this season, Alabama has allowed eight passing touchdowns, averaging 1.3 per game. The Crimson Tide's defense has shown enough vulnerabilities for Iamaleava to take advantage of them. The real question is whether Heupel will design more aggressive plays that allow Iamaleava to succeed. In such a pivotal game, it’s hard to imagine Iamaleava going three straight weeks without a passing touchdown, especially with so much on the line.
Nico Iamaleava throw late-game interception that keeps Tennessee from coming back against Alabama
Both Tennessee and Alabama have struggled over their last two games, each suffering an upset loss and then narrowly pulling off a win the following week. It's because both teams have been mistake-prone recently, but in different areas—Tennessee's issues have primarily been on offense, which tends to fall back on Iamaleava. Meanwhile, Alabama has suffered from defensive breakdowns.
It’s easy to forget that Iamaleava is still young, adjusting to the rigors of SEC play. Saturday will mark just his eighth career start and fourth conference game, and in each SEC matchup so far, he’s struggled to find his rhythm.
Facing Alabama in what could be a tight, down-to-the-wire contest may ask Iamaleava to lead a game-tying or game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. He’s already been in a similar situation this season against Arkansas, where he ran out of bounds as the clock expired. This time, it’s possible the pressure could again get to him, with Iamaleava throwing a late interception that ultimately costs the Vols a chance at a comeback.
*Stats provided by Sports-Reference.
