UCLA Beat Wisconsin 17-7 as Backup Dieffenbach Wins First Start

No. 12 UCLA beat Wisconsin 17 to 7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday, October 17, 2026, and the Bruins are 6 and 0 for the first time since 2022. They did it with a backup quarterback making his first start. Ty Dieffenbach completed 22 of 33 passes for 264 yards, and the UCLA defense held Wisconsin to 66 passing yards and one touchdown all night.

UCLA took the field as the only unbeaten team left in the Big Ten or the SEC, and it had to play that way without its starter. Nico Iamaleava is out for the season with a knee injury he suffered against Oregon on October 10. Dieffenbach began the season third on the depth chart. He transferred in after stops at Pittsburgh and Cal Poly, finished the Oregon game last week, and on Saturday he ran the offense like a starter.

Long drives build the lead

UCLA scored on its first two drives and used more than 16 minutes of clock doing it. Mateen Bhaghani kicked a field goal to end a 16 play, 84 yard drive in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Wayne Knight scored on a 1 yard run at the end of a 13 play, 91 yard drive, and UCLA led 10 to 0. Knight has scored at least one touchdown in all six games this season and has 12 in total.

Wisconsin had a chance to cut into the lead before halftime, but Gavin Lahm missed a 46 yard field goal with 1 minute and 23 seconds left in the second quarter. Dieffenbach's only interception came on a deep throw on the final play of the first half.

Wisconsin gets one chance

The Badgers got back into the game early in the third quarter. UCLA tried a trick play, Dieffenbach threw to Semaj Morgan, and Morgan's throw was intercepted by Marvin Burks Jr. It was the second interception of the night for Burks. Wisconsin turned it into points when quarterback Colton Joseph ran 3 yards for a touchdown, and the score was 10 to 7.

That was as close as Wisconsin got. UCLA answered in the fourth quarter with a 6 play, 89 yard drive. Anthony Woods ran 14 yards to the Wisconsin 3, then scored from 3 yards out with 11 minutes and 36 seconds left. Woods led UCLA with 39 rushing yards. Jaivian Thomas added 37 yards on nine carries, and Knight finished with 23 yards on 13 carries as Wisconsin held the Bruins to 120 rushing yards.

The defense closes it

UCLA held the ball for 37 minutes and 2 seconds and converted 13 of 20 third downs. Wisconsin converted 3 of 11. The Bruins forced three fumbles and recovered none of them, but the pass defense never broke. Joseph finished with 66 passing yards for Wisconsin, and the Badgers were held to seven points despite two interceptions from their own defense.

What it means

UCLA is 6 and 0 under first year coach Bob Chesney and stays at the top of the Big Ten race. The Bruins host Michigan State at the Rose Bowl on October 24, still without Iamaleava, and Dieffenbach now owns a win as the starter.

Wisconsin falls to 4 and 2, and its four game winning streak is over. The Badgers were penalized 10 times for 102 yards, three penalties short of the program record. Ranked games against USC and Iowa are next on their schedule.