The UCLA Bruins remain undefeated after beating the Illinois Fighting Illini tonight, 22-14. Once again, the Bruins found a way to win despite encountering challenges along the way.
UCLA got off to a fast start with a touchdown on the opening drive of the game. The drive began with a five-yard run by Wayne Knight and he immediately followed with a four-yard run. A defensive holding call set the Bruins up with a first down on their own 44. Ty Dieffenbach threw a short pass to Knight which gained a couple of yards. Then, Dean Kennedy called a deep pass which Aidan Mizell caught at the Illinois 25-yard line, but the slippery wide receiver broke free for a 54-yard touchdown.
The teams traded punts a few times to end the first quarter and begin the second. After they traded interceptions, the Bruin defense forced another punt and the Bruins began their next drive with good field position on their own 40-yard line.
When UCLA got down to the Illinois five, it looked like the Bruins had scored on a 5-yard run by Ty Dieffenbach, but a questionable penalty call sent the ball back to the 16-yard line. UCLA got back to the 2-yard line, but the drive stalled and Mateen Bhaghani nailed a 20-yard field goal to give the Bruins a 10-0 lead and that was the score at the half, though the potentially biggest play of the half was still to come.
On the second play of UCLA’s last drive of the first half, Dieffenbach dropped back to pass, and while he got rid of the ball, he was slammed to the turf. He did not get up at first. When he started moving, it seemed like one of his shoulders might be the issue, at least until he was helped off the field. Then, it looked like it might be his lower body.
Enter Madden Iamaleava.
Madden finished the first half and began as UCLA’s quarterback in the second. He basically showed why Dieffenbach earned the starter spot when Nico went down. Madden went 3-for-7 for a measly 21 yards.
And, that explains why the 45,800 fans in attendance roared when Dieffenbach came joggging back out to the UCLA sideline near the end of the third quarter.
In fact, it was the defense which came up with the biggest play of the third quarter when Aidan Gobaira tackled Illini quarterback Katin Houser in the end zone for the Bruins’ first safety since Martin Andrus tackled Stanford running back Byron Love in the end zone for a safety on November 24, 2018.
Ty was back on the field for the Bruins’ first drive of the fourth quarter, right after Illinois had cut UCLA’s lead to 12-7. And it wasn’t a moment too soon.
Dieffenbach took command of the Bruin huddle and marched the team 75 yards on just eight plays. On the final play of the drive, Ty found Semaj Morgan for a 25-yard touchdown to make the score 19-7.
That touchdown proved to be the game-winning score as Illini would score another touchdown which trimmed UCLA’s lead to 19-14.
UCLA’s ensuing drive was a short one as the Bruins went three-and-out. When Illinois got the ball back, they managed to move the ball to midfield. On third-and-eight from the Bruins 48, Houser through an incompletion, and when Bob Chesney saw that the Illini were going to go for it on fourth down, he opted to accept a 10-yard holding penalty to push them back.
On the next play, Scooter Jackson made his second interception of the game, sealing the win.
Dieffenbach completed 13-of-20 for 232 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran four times for 28 yards, which made him the Bruins’ second-best rusher behind Wayne Knight who ran 18 times for 56 yards.
Aidan Mizell made six receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown while Semaj Morgan made four receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown.
Next Saturday, UCLA will travel to Ann Arbor for a game against the Michigan Wolverines. Kickoff time and broadcast network remain TBD.
Go Bruins!!!
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