UCLA’s trip into Big Ten play comes with a few obvious pressure points, and none of them are bigger than how the Bruins handle life with Ty Dieffenbach at quarterback. Against Wisconsin, the margin for error feels thin, even with UCLA still unbeaten and coming off a defense-driven run that has kept this season humming.
The clearest path for the Bruins may be the same one that’s carried them through their last two games: the defense. UCLA has been elite in its last two contests, and that side of the ball has also made a habit of taking the ball away at a rate better than anyone else in the country. If that group can give UCLA even a taste of what it showed last week in Eugene, the Bruins could be in position to move to 6-0.
That matters even more because Dieffenbach is walking into his first start with plenty still unresolved on offense. He’s likely to be asked to do less than the defense and run game, which means UCLA may need the defense to keep carrying the load in Week 7. And against a Wisconsin defense that will bring pressure and try to make him uncomfortable, the challenge is immediate.
The run game could end up doing a lot of the heavy lifting, too. UCLA’s ground attack has been one of the nation’s best, and that should remain central here.
Dieffenbach probably won’t be asked to shoulder much of the offense against Wisconsin, so the Bruins’ backfield could be used more than ever. The question is how the touches get split.
Wayne Knight is coming off a career-high 22 carries, but Jaivian Thomas and Anthony Woods give UCLA real options to keep the rushing attack efficient. It will be worth watching whether Chesney leans into the committee or simply keeps feeding his top back when the game calls for it.
There’s also the basic question of how Dieffenbach looks when he has to steer the offense. In his limited work last week against Oregon, he managed the second half well and helped UCLA leave Eugene with a win in his debut.
The setting changes this week at the Rose Bowl, but the test doesn’t get softer. Wisconsin’s defense is no joke, and how Dieffenbach handles that pressure will tell a lot about what UCLA can expect from him going forward.
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The matchup puts even more pressure on Wayne Knight, UCLAs leading rusher and the most obvious way for the Bruins to keep the chains moving. Wisconsins defense has the kind of linebacking talent that can make life miserable in that sort of game, and UCLAs challenge will be finding enough answers up front to keep the debut from turning into a long afternoon. [Read more 🡒]