In an attempt to slow down the Bruin rushing game, Wisconsin seemed to spend most of the game in a traditional 7-man front rather than relying on the nickel they have been playing, or at least starting, for most of the season.
As a result, UCLA went to the air more than any other game this season and Bruin quarterback Ty Dieffenbach was revealed in front of a home crowd of 36,045.. He went 22-for-33 for 264 yards. His only interception came on the final play of the first half and was inconsequential.
Through three quarters\, UCLA had only 42 yards rushing, but they added 78 rushing yards in the fourth quarter to finish with 120 yards for the game.
The Bruin defense was stingy as usual. The defense held Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph to just 6-for-16 and 66 yards passing. In fact, the Bruins allowed just 13 passing yards in the third quarter and none at all in the fourth quarter.
As far as scoring was concerned, after the Bruin defense forced the Badgers to punt on the seventh play of their opening drive, UCLA began their first drive of the game on their own 10-yard line. Dieffenbach led the Bruins on a 16-play, 84-yard drive, but it stalled at the Wisconsin 6-yard line and Mateen Bhaghani gave UCLA a 3-0 lead on a 24-yard field goal.
On the first play of the second quarter, Wisconsin punted for the second time and began this drive from their own nine. On third-and-six from the Bruin 13, Dieffenbach found Semaj Morgan at the 17 and Morgan took off for a 31-yard total gain. Slowly, the Bruins drove all the way to the Wisconsin 22. On third-and-five from the Badger 22, Dieffenbach found Jalen St. Paul over the middle at the 17 and he scampered all the way down to the one. The Bruins turned to the Wildcat with a direct snap to Wayne Knight who scored to give UCLA a 10-0 lead. Ultimately, that touchdown would prove to be the game-winning score.
The teams would trade three punts and UCLA got the ball back with 1:23 left in the half. While UCLA did not run out the clock, their final drive of the first half basically ran out of time. With just three seconds left and the ball on the Wisconsin 47, Dieffenbach threw it deep and it was intercepted by Marvin Burks, Jr. at the seven, but time had expired and the teams went into the locker room with the Bruins up, 10-0.
The Bruins got the ball to start the second half but on third-and-13 from the UCLA 22, Semaj Morgan threw a pass which was intercepted by Burks again. Wisconsin took over on the Bruin 44. The Badgers threw just one pass on the drive but they still managed to score on a three-yard run by Joseph to cut UCLA’s lead to 10-7.
The Bruins began their next drive from their own 19 and drove down to the Badger 33 before turning it over on downs. Following a three-and-out by Wisconsin, UCLA started their next drive on their own 11, but a pair of penalties moved them back to their own three. Dieffenbach found Landon Ellis for a 28-yard gain to get the Bruins out of that hole. Three plays later, Dieffenbach hit Morgan at their own 36 and he took off until he was tackled at the Badger 32. Video review confirmed a targeting penalty by Matt Jung to move the ball to the Badger 17. Anthony Woods then gained 14 yards on the next play before he finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown run to give the Bruins a 17-7 led and that was the final score of the game despite the fact that there was still 11:31 left.
As a footnote, it is worth noting that the Bruins got the ball back with 4:49 left and they were able to completely kill the clock, even though they probably should have been able to score from the Wisconsin 3-yard line with a little more than a minute to play.
In the end, there are certainly lots of things for these Bruins to work on, but it was another win against a very tough defense and UCLA is now the only team in either the Big Ten or the SEC which is still undefeated.
UCLA’s next game will be against the Michigan State Spartans next Saturday at the Rose Bowl at either 12 Noon or 12:30 pm PT. The TV network and actual game time should be announced tomorrow.
Go Bruins!!!
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Just checking to see if any Wisconsin fans are in the postgame or game thread complaining about officiating.
God what an insufferable fanbase.
Game is 12:30 PM PT on CBS.