The No. 12 UCLA Bruins beat the Wisconsin Badgers 17-7 at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, improving to 6-0 behind 264 passing yards from quarterback Ty Dieffenbach. UCLA controlled the clock for more than 37 minutes and turned 20 first downs into enough points to hold off a Wisconsin defense that forced two interceptions but could not generate a turnover of its own.
Wisconsin dropped to 4-2 despite out-rushing UCLA 148 yards to 120 and winning the yards-per-rush battle 4.5 to 3.2. The Badgers’ lone touchdown came on a three-yard Colton Joseph run with 8:17 left in the third quarter that cut the deficit to 7-10, but UCLA answered in the fourth quarter on Anthony Woods’ three-yard score to put the game away.
Takeaways From UCLA’s Win Over Wisconsin
UCLA’s offense dominated time of possession
UCLA held the ball for 37:02 compared to Wisconsin’s 22:58, a gap built on 20 first downs and a 13-for-20 mark on third-down conversions. That efficiency let the Bruins run 37 rushing plays and 34 pass attempts while limiting Wisconsin’s offensive snaps.
Turnovers did not cost UCLA
Dieffenbach threw an interception and backup Semaj Morgan threw another on a trick play, giving UCLA two turnovers on the day. Wisconsin’s defense, led by Mason Posa’s seven tackles, forced both picks but could not turn either into points, leaving the turnover battle a wash on the scoreboard.
Wisconsin’s run game kept pace but the scoreboard did not follow
Colton Joseph ran 18 times for 71 yards and a touchdown, and Abu Sama III added 34 yards on six carries. The Badgers out-gained UCLA on the ground but managed only one scoring drive, going 3-for-10 on third down and failing on their only fourth-down try.
Player Of The Game: Ty Dieffenbach
Dieffenbach completed 22 of 33 passes for 264 yards, spreading the ball to six different receivers. Semaj Morgan led all pass catchers with five receptions for 84 yards, and Landon Ellis added two catches for 57 yards. Dieffenbach also chipped in on the ground, though his six carries netted minus-12 yards.
UCLA Vs. Wisconsin By The Numbers
UCLA out-gained Wisconsin 384 total yards to 214, with the biggest separation coming through the air, where the Bruins finished with 264 passing yards to Wisconsin’s 66. UCLA converted 13 of 20 third downs compared to Wisconsin’s 3-for-10 mark, a difference that fueled the Bruins’ possession advantage. Wisconsin was flagged for 10 penalties for 108 yards, well above UCLA’s eight penalties for 78 yards. Despite the yardage gap, Wisconsin actually out-rushed UCLA 148-120, averaging 4.5 yards per carry to UCLA’s 3.2.
What’s Next
UCLA’s next opponent and date are not yet confirmed. Wisconsin’s next opponent and date are not yet confirmed. For context on UCLA’s quarterback setup, see the Wisconsin vs.
UCLA preview.s quarterback situation shaped Saturday’s result, see the preview of Wisconsin vs. UCLA. Wisconsin’s offense had looked sharper in its previous outing, detailed in the recap of Wisconsin’s win over Michigan State.
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