No Nico Iamaleava, no problem for UCLA.
Even without its starting quarterback, the No. 12 Bruins kept their unbeaten run alive Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, grinding out a 17-7 win over Wisconsin to move to 6-0 for the first time since 2022. The victory also made Bob Chesney the first coach in program history to win his first six games at UCLA.
With Iamaleava out because of a leg injury he suffered against Oregon, Ty Dieffenbach was thrown into his first start in a UCLA uniform and handled the moment with poise. The senior went 22 of 33 for 264 yards and an interception, delivering the best outing of his career while UCLA found a way to beat a rugged Wisconsin front.
“Before the game, I was just saying like, it’s another game, not making the moment too big,” Dieffenbach said. “We left some out there tonight, a couple throws I want back, a couple reads I want back.”
The Bruins didn’t need fireworks from the passing game because the defense kept slamming the door. Wisconsin managed only 214 total yards and seven points, never finding much rhythm against a unit that has become one of UCLA’s defining strengths under Chesney.
The Badgers came in having won three straight against UCLA, but that history didn’t matter much once the game started. Quarterback Colton Joseph completed only six of 16 passes for 66 yards, though he did lead Wisconsin on the ground with 71 rushing yards and a touchdown.
UCLA’s ability to choke off third downs has been a major part of this defensive surge, and Saturday was more of the same. Wisconsin converted just three of 11 chances. Over the last three games, opponents have managed only five conversions on 38 attempts against the Bruins.
The Bruins also forced two fumbles. Scott Taylor delivered a first-quarter strip sack, and Sammy Omosigho punched out another ball late in the first half. Omosigho now has five forced fumbles this season after entering the weekend as the FBS leader in that category.
On offense, UCLA made the game easier on Dieffenbach by stringing together long possessions right away. He completed his first five passes for 53 yards, then helped guide a 16-play, 84-yard march that ended with Mateen Bhaghani’s 24-yard field goal. The drive chewed up more than eight minutes and set the tone for the night.
The Bruins kept rolling with another extended possession, traveling 91 yards in 13 plays before Wayne Knight powered in a one-yard touchdown to make it 10-0 in the second quarter. Knight has now scored a rushing touchdown in all six games this season, becoming the first Bruin to start a year with six straight games with a rushing score since Maurice Jones-Drew in 2005.
Dieffenbach distributed the ball to eight different receivers, and the passing yardage showed it. UCLA finished with 264 through the air, while Wisconsin managed just 66, even though neither team threw a touchdown.
Semaj Morgan led the Bruins with five catches for a career-high 84 yards. Landon Ellis added 57 yards on two receptions, and Jalen Saint Paul had four grabs for 45 yards.
“Ty, what a job,” Chesney said. “To stand in there and have the confidence to do what he did. What a warrior just all the way around.”
Just as important for UCLA was how often those drives kept going. The Bruins converted 13 of 20 third downs, a season best, and spent much of the night controlling the flow of the game by keeping Wisconsin’s offense stuck on the sideline.
Wisconsin finally made things tense after halftime. Joseph finished off a third-quarter drive with a three-yard touchdown run, trimming the margin to 10-7 and putting the pressure back on UCLA.
The Bruins answered in the fourth quarter when Anthony Woods scored from three yards out to push the lead back to 17-7. From there, the defense finished the job.
The defining sequence came on Wisconsin’s next possession. Facing fourth down near midfield, Darrion Dupree appeared to have done enough for a first down, but after review officials ruled he had been stopped short after a tackle by Omosigho. That call gave the ball back to UCLA with 8:43 left and effectively ended the Badgers’ last real chance.
Wisconsin also made life harder on itself with 10 penalties for 102 yards. UCLA added three sacks and held the Badgers to seven points despite giving up 148 rushing yards.
This wasn’t a dominant offensive showing, but it didn’t need to be. UCLA has now held four of its six opponents under 300 total yards, and the defense has surrendered seven points or fewer in seven of its 12 halves this season.
“That’s the most important thing is that I believe in these guys,” Chesney said.
The Bruins’ 6-0 start has already separated this team from every UCLA squad before it under Chesney. The turnaround from a three-win 2025 season has been immediate, and the Bruins are now the Big Ten’s lone unbeaten team overall. They are also 4-0 in conference play, alongside Ohio State.
Saturday also brought UCLA its first win over Wisconsin at the Rose Bowl and moved the Bruins to 8-4 all-time against the Badgers.
UCLA stays home next Saturday, Oct. 24, when it hosts Michigan State at 12:30 p.m. PT on CBS.
In Other News...
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The numbers at the Rose Bowl have started to tell a different story this fall, and it is changing how UCLA football crowds are being read in real time. What used to be announced as attendance was often based on tickets distributed, which could make the official figure look fuller than the stands actually felt on game day. Now, the school is using tickets scanned at the gate, a shift that brings the public count closer to the actual turnstile traffic.
That helps explain why the eye test and the game-day announcement may not line up exactly, especially with parts of the stadium affected by renovations and tarps covering some seats. The recent Wisconsin game was announced at 36,045, a total that matched the scanned-ticket count, offering a clearer picture of what UCLA is drawing at the Rose Bowl even if the building still looks different from its official capacity. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA's Unbeaten Start Suddenly Comes With A Bigger Concern
UCLAs unbeaten start has given the program real momentum, but the conversation around the Bruins has quickly shifted from rankings and results to quarterback health. With No. 9 UCLA set to meet Michigan State next, the offense is dealing with a significant change after Nico Iamaleavas knee injury, and the timing makes the next stretch of the season feel a little different than it did just a week ago.
The Bruins now have to adjust on the fly, with Ty Dieffenbach positioned to handle the offense as UCLA keeps pushing through an undefeated start. Michigan State arrives on a five-game skid and is still trying to find more consistency in its rushing attack, while also having to account for Wayne Knight on the other side. Even in a matchup that looks manageable on paper, the bigger question for UCLA is how smoothly the offense can keep moving without its top quarterback. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Fans Finally Get An Early Look At Cronins New Roster
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For UCLA, the matchup is less about the scoreboard than the sorting process that comes with a fresh team. The exhibition is the first of two before the regular season begins, a useful test for the staff as it evaluates players, builds chemistry and starts to answer the most basic questions about who fits where. Another exhibition is still on the calendar later in the month, leaving a little more time for the rotation picture to take shape. [Read more 🡒]