Iamaleava encountered a setback at the close of the first half.
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava was sidelined for the remainder of Saturday’s 33-14 victory over Mississippi State due to an upper body injury. The timing of the injury is uncertain, as Iamaleava played until late in the second quarter, directing a quick drive that ended in a field goal.
Before leaving, Iamaleava had completed eight of 13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He was not on the sideline as the third quarter began.
After the game, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said he expects Iamaleava to be available for the Vols’ Week 12 matchup against No. 3 Georgia, which recently lost on the road to Ole Miss. Heupel explained that Iamaleava’s absence in the second half was a precautionary decision.
Backup quarterback Gaston Moore took over for Iamaleava, managing the game effectively with five completions for 38 yards, while the Vols relied on their staunch defense—which has held every opponent below 20 points this season—and a ground game led by running back Dylan Sampson to secure the win.
In his first season as Tennessee’s starter, Iamaleava has faced challenges but has been playing well recently. In the Week 10 win over Kentucky, the redshirt freshman recorded 292 yards passing—a season high against Power Four opponents—and a touchdown, completing 73.7% of his passes despite several drops by Tennessee’s receivers.
Heading into Saturday’s game, Iamaleava had totaled 136 completions for 1,705 yards, nine touchdowns, and an additional 193 yards rushing with one touchdown.
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