UCLA’s season keeps getting bigger, and Friday night gave the Bruins another line for the record book.
In a rain-soaked Rose Bowl, No. 4 UCLA beat Illinois 22-14 to move to 10-0 for the first time since 1998. The Bruins also stretched a remarkable first-year surge under Bob Chesney, who has guided a team that went 3-9 last season to the largest single-season turnaround in program history.
The win didn’t come cleanly. UCLA had to survive an injury scare to Ty Dieffenbach, weather a sluggish stretch with backup Madden Iamaleava at quarterback, and lean hard on a defense that kept turning Illinois away. The Bruins forced three interceptions, and a late takeaway helped close the door for good.
Dieffenbach exited late in the second quarter after landing on his left shoulder while trying to escape pressure. Iamaleava stepped in, but the offense never really found its footing with him in the game, and he was sacked before Dieffenbach eventually returned in the second half.
Once he was back, Dieffenbach delivered when UCLA needed it most. He connected with Semaj Morgan on a 26-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and finished with 232 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Aidan Mizell was the most dangerous weapon in the passing game all night. He caught six passes for 176 yards and a touchdown, starting with a 54-yard score that got behind the Illinois secondary and later adding a 63-yard catch and run. Mizell has now stacked another explosive outing onto the one he had against Minnesota, when he scored twice on 75-yard receptions.
UCLA’s defense kept the margin intact even when Illinois made a push. Scooter Jackson picked off Katin Houser in the end zone, one of three interceptions the Bruins grabbed from the Illinois quarterback. Aidan Gobaira also produced a safety in the third quarter when he sacked Houser in the end zone.
The secondary again did its part for a UCLA team that entered the game leading the nation with 27 takeaways and 17 interceptions. The Bruins added to both totals while limiting Illinois through the air and holding the Fighting Illini to 71 rushing yards.
Illinois trimmed the deficit to five in the fourth quarter, but Mateen Bhaghani answered with a 37-yard field goal to push UCLA back out to an eight-point lead. Another interception late ended one more Illinois threat and helped seal the result.
Illinois did get some production on the ground from Wayne Knight, who finished with 56 yards on 18 carries. Still, the Bruins did a solid job containing a rushing attack that came in averaging 213.2 yards per game.
UCLA heads to Michigan next before coming back home to face USC.
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UCLA Stayed Unbeaten But One Offensive Problem Isnt Going Away
UCLA kept its unbeaten season intact in Week 11 with a 22-14 win over Illinois, but the way it got there again pointed to a familiar concern. Jacksons interceptions helped swing the game in the Bruins favor, and Morgans late touchdown reception provided the cushion they needed, yet the offense never really found a rhythm on the ground.
The rushing attack was ineffective, and that remains the part of UCLAs profile that could matter most as the season moves on. The Bruins have survived it so far, but if they want the offense to be more dependable against better competition, the running game is going to have to start carrying more of the load. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Unbeaten Start Suddenly Hinges On One Troubling Game Concern
Rainy nights at the Rose Bowl can turn into survival tests, and UCLA got one of those on Saturday. Aidan Mizell helped steady the offense with a huge first half, piling up 157 yards and a touchdown, while the defense kept creating extra chances by forcing multiple turnovers to help the Bruins hold their lead over Illinois.
The bigger concern came when quarterback Ty Dieffenbach went down with a left shoulder injury, briefly putting the offense in a tougher spot. He did return later and found the end zone with a touchdown pass, but the way UCLA managed the game after the injury only underscored how much the unbeaten start now depends on the health of a few key players. [Read more 🡒]
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UCLA kept its perfect start intact with a 22-14 win over Illinois, but the bigger storyline out of the game was the health of Ty Dieffenbach. The Bruins quarterback still managed to steer the offense effectively, throwing for 232 yards and two touchdowns while Aidan Mizell turned in a big day with 176 receiving yards and a score.
The defense did its part to protect the lead, forcing a safety and getting two interceptions from Scooter Jackson to help close it out. Even with the win in hand, the concern around Dieffenbach lingers as UCLA moves forward, because the Bruins have shown enough already to know how much their ceiling depends on him staying on the field. [Read more 🡒]