UCLA stays unbeaten with backup QB, holds Wisconsin to 7 points at the Rose Bowl

No. 12 UCLA started its backup quarterback and still beat Wisconsin 17-7 at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night. The Bruins are now 6-0 and 4-0 in the Big Ten, and they are the last unbeaten team in the conference. Wisconsin fell to 4-2 and 2-1, and it was a lopsided game for a 10-point final: UCLA outgained the Badgers 378-214, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Ty Dieffenbach made his first start in place of Nico Iamaleava, who hurt his leg in last week's win at Oregon. Dieffenbach went 22 of 33 for 264 yards, as reported by The Associated Press and UCLA Athletics. His first drive set the tone. It went 16 plays and took 8:42 off the clock before Mateen Bhaghani kicked a 24-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Wayne Knight scored from a yard out to make it 10-0. That gave him a rushing touchdown in every game this season.

Wisconsin's defense did its main job against the run. UCLA came in averaging 253.2 rushing yards per game and finished with 120 on 37 carries. But the Badgers could not get off the field. UCLA converted 13 of 20 third downs, including eight of 11 in the first half. Wisconsin also committed a season-high 10 penalties for 102 yards. The Journal Sentinel singled out an unsportsmanlike conduct flag on quarterback Colton Joseph, called after a 26-yard run, as the play that stopped the Badgers' early momentum.

Joseph ran for a 3-yard touchdown in the third quarter after a failed UCLA trick play gave Wisconsin good field position, cutting the lead to 10-7. That was the extent of the comeback. Early in the fourth, Dieffenbach found Semaj Morgan for 33 yards to set up Anthony Woods' 3-yard touchdown. On that same drive, safety Matt Jung was ejected for targeting. Wisconsin managed 29 yards in the fourth quarter. Joseph finished 6 of 16 passing for 66 yards and led the team in rushing again, with 71 yards on 18 carries. Wisconsin's running backs combined for 54 yards on 12 carries.

What it means for next Saturday

Wisconsin's schedule doesn't ease up. The Badgers host No. 19 USC on Oct. 24 on NBC, and the Journal Sentinel reported that Jung's targeting penalty will also keep him out of the USC game. Carson Van Dinter replaced him in Pasadena. The offensive line is also short-handed. Center Austin Kawecki missed this game with a hand injury, so Stylz Blackmon moved to center and PJ Wilkins slid to right guard. Wisconsin's two losses have come against ranked opponents, 41-13 to No. 4 Notre Dame and now this one. Its best result so far is a 24-20 win at then-No. 13 Penn State. Its offense has gone cold in the last two games after a 31-3 win over Michigan State, scoring seven points against UCLA.

UCLA stays home to face Michigan State, which Wisconsin beat comfortably two weeks ago. The Bruins have won their last three games by very different margins, 54-3 at Maryland, 17-15 at Oregon and now this 10-point grind. That suggests they can win in more than one way while Iamaleava is out. The AP noted that Michigan State starts a stretch of Nevada, Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan before the season finale against USC. With four top-10 teams losing Saturday, UCLA should climb in the rankings. How Dieffenbach holds up over the next few weeks will decide how long the unbeaten run lasts.