{"id":499956,"date":"2026-10-18T07:20:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T07:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/499956\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T07:20:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T07:20:18","slug":"ty-dieffenbach-shines-for-no-12-ucla-in-win-over-wisconsin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/499956\/","title":{"rendered":"Ty Dieffenbach shines for No. 12 UCLA in win over Wisconsin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Behind a standout performance from quarterback Ty Dieffenbach<\/a> in his first UCLA<\/a> start, the No. 12 Bruins defeated Wisconsin 17-7<\/a> at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Dieffenbach orchestrated a six-play, 89-yard drive in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for the Bruins, who clinched bowl eligibility by improving to 6-0 under coach Bob Chesney<\/a>. UCLA is the only undefeated team in the Big Ten.<\/p>\n

Although UCLA (6-0, 4-0) entered with one of the most potent ground attacks in the nation, the Badgers\u2019 stalwart defense \u2014 a unit that ranked No. 15 in total defense and ninth in passing yards allowed heading into the game \u2014 held UCLA to just 3.2 yards per carry. Heisman Trophy contender Wayne Knight<\/a> was limited to just 29 all-purpose yards, though he scored his 12th touchdown of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust a battle. These guys came to play. Hats off to them and their coaches and just their ability to tame our run game,\u201d Chesney said of Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

With UCLA struggling to get a push at the point of attack and the Wisconsin defense sealing the edge, the Bruins put their trust in Dieffenbach, who started in his first Football Bowl Subdivision game following Nico Iamaleava sustaining a knee injury<\/a> against Oregon last week that could keep the senior out for the remainder of the season.<\/p>\n

The understudy shined in the spotlight.<\/p>\n

\u201cTy, what a job to stand in there and have the confidence to do what he did,\u201d Chesney said. \u201cThe third-down throws that he was able to make and see the game clean as can be, get us in the right calls, the right protections. It was a really reassuring day for us with him, and him with himself, and him with his teammates. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a warrior all the way around for a lot of people in here, but him in particular, the mental game of football that he played today was impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though expectations were tempered for Dieffenbach, he largely did not miss a beat, completing 22 of 33 passes for 264 yards \u2014 just 12 yards shy of Iamaleava\u2019s career-best game as a Bruin.<\/p>\n

Dieffenbach set up UCLA\u2019s first touchdown in the second quarter when he completed a 21-yard pass to Jalen Saint Paul<\/a> one play before Knight scored on a one-yard carry.<\/p>\n

\"UCLA <\/p>\n

UCLA quarterback Ty Dieffenbach reacts after the Bruins\u2019 win over Wisconsin at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

UCLA\u2019s second score \u2014 a touchdown that put the Bruins up 10 points in the fourth quarter \u2014 capped Dieffenbach\u2019s most impressive drive. Starting at the UCLA 11, Dieffenbach connected on passes of 28 and 33 yards on a drive that culminated with Anthony Woods scoring on a three-yard run.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe put that in this week. The coaches saw that it was a weak spot in their defense to hit that, and I think we got it twice in practice this week,\u201d UCLA senior wide receiver Landon Ellis said of Dieffenbach\u2019s 28-yard pass to him on first-and-18 near the Bruins\u2019 end zone. \u201cIt was good preparation from Monday to today and it showed up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dieffenbach looked poised in the pocket as he made passes under pressure. He excelled on third down, with UCLA converting on 13 of 20 tries. He threw one interception, which came on a Hail Mary as time expired in the second quarter, and took just one sack.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis pre-snap thought process is phenomenal,\u201d Chesney said. \u201cHis ability to see the pictures and understand the tendencies, and at the same time confirm them right before the snap is what leads him to be able to understand exactly where the voids in the zones will live, and to deliver the ball quickly on the proper shoulder away from leverage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose were all things that he just did a phenomenal job of. Just watching out there, how quick he got rid of it, how confidently he got rid of it and his belief in himself and his receivers certainly stood out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"UCLA <\/p>\n

UCLA running back Wayne Knight breaks a tackle from Wisconsin safety Marvin Burks Jr. during the second quarter Saturday.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Dieffenbach didn\u2019t play during two seasons at Pittsburgh, then fought through injuries during one season at Cal Poly before landing at the bottom of UCLA\u2019s depth chart. The game was meaningful for the Calabasas native and Agoura High alum who dreamed of going to UCLA.<\/p>\n

He recalled sitting in the Rose Bowl with his brother in 2022, watching UCLA play.<\/p>\n

\u201cTonight, for me before the game, I was just saying it\u2019s another game,\u201d Dieffenbach said. \u201cBut definitely in that fourth quarter when we\u2019re doing \u2018California Love,\u2019 and just five years ago I\u2019m sitting in the stands watching guys do this, and now I\u2019m there. It was special to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giving Dieffenbach some breathing room, UCLA\u2019s defense dominated again, holding Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1) to 214 total yards.<\/p>\n

\"Wisconsin <\/p>\n

Wisconsin running back Darrion Dupree is tackled by UCLA defensive lineman Sahir West during the second quarter.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Even without UCLA starting outside cornerback Rodrick Pleasant, the Bruins\u2019 secondary blanketed the Badgers in coverage, giving up just 66 passing yards, with Wisconsin\u2019s top receiver Jaylon Domingeaux finishing with 26 yards.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were physical inside, but the pass game was what I was impressed with,\u201d Chesney said. \u201cHolding them to 66 yards, and there were moments that they were throwing this thing up, and our coverage I thought was really spot on, just based on what our coaches had helped prepare for all week long.\u201d<\/p>\n

And while the \u201cBruin Bullies\u201d held up at the line of scrimmage against the Badgers\u2019 tailbacks, Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph ran for 71 yards and one touchdown, using various formations and fakes to confuse the Bruins\u2019 stacked box.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

While UCLA failed to produce a takeaway for the first time this season \u2014 despite forcing two fumbles, both of which were recovered by Wisconsin \u2014 the Bruins made several key stops to help UCLA stay in control.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould have loved to jump on one of those fumbles, but it just came down to fundamentals,\u201d UCLA sophomore linebacker Scott Taylor said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we talked about all week … it\u2019s going to be a battle between our fundamentals and theirs, and we played really sound football. Obviously, that early drive in the second half, we got gashed a couple times, but overall, in terms of run fits and being really sound in the back end, I thought we did a really nice job.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 10-yard sack from fifth-year linebacker Jalen Woods on third down late in the second quarter led to an unsuccessful 46-yard field-goal attempt by Gavin Lahm, leaving Wisconsin scoreless at halftime.<\/p>\n

After Wisconsin scored its only touchdown and subsequently forced UCLA into a three and out late in the third quarter, the Badgers had the ball with a chance to take the lead. But the Bruins forced two incomplete passes and stuffed Joseph at the line to force a punt.<\/p>\n

\"UCLA <\/p>\n

UCLA wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. celebrates after making a catch in the second quarter Saturday against Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

In the fourth quarter, UCLA stopped running back Darrion Dupree short of a first down on fourth and two at the Bruins\u2019 48 to all but end the Badgers\u2019 hopes of a comeback.<\/p>\n

After winning his 16th consecutive regular season game and helping UCLA go 6-0 for the first time since 2022, Chesney said the Bruins are not ready to call their rebuilding effort a success yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe never put limits on what we did or what we could or could not do, and we also didn\u2019t make excuses,\u201d Chesney said. \u201cI never wanted to try to define anything, and instead just go out there and play and be the best that we possibly can be each and every single day. \u2026 It\u2019s a build and it\u2019s a slow process and it\u2019s got to be done the right way. It\u2019s got to be done the hard way, and I love what our guys did.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Behind a standout performance from quarterback Ty Dieffenbach in his first UCLA start, the No. 12 Bruins defeated…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":499957,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[193875,26539,8932,11474,193874,5817,16945,48,52,51,47,50,49,18158,772,1417,7555,193876,1092,11101,1539],"class_list":["post-499956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-12th-touchdown","tag-badgers","tag-bruins","tag-carry","tag-dieffenbach","tag-drive","tag-fourth-quarter","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news","tag-no","tag-pass","tag-point","tag-second-quarter","tag-ty-dieffenbach","tag-ucla","tag-wisconsin","tag-yard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/499956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=499956"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/499956\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/499957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=499956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=499956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=499956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}