Pasadena, CA- No. 9 UCLA continues their winning streak, recording their 7th win of the season on Saturday returning to the Rose Bowl up against Michigan State after overcoming a couple of fumbles that could have been their undoing instead their undivided team played together to take a 28-10 victory.
The Bruins took the first hit after the Spartans scored an early touchdown to take a 7-0 advantage before coming with a 28-3 counter jab to win the one-sided fight against an injured filled roster. UCLA’s Bob Chesney
“Obviously, anytime you have a win … they’re not easy to come by, so to be able to end up with a win is a big deal. 7-0, obviously, is a big deal, “The Angelo M. Mazzone III UCLA Head Football Coach Bob Chesney said.
“That first half was not our type of football, not really how we want to play the game, with two fumbles, for them to have 100 and some yards of returns on those two.”
While the Bruins offense needed time to get it together, their defense took a third string quarterback whom was sacked over ten times in his previous game, through a masterclass of no remorse or pity as he went down and eventually subbed out with no pass completions.
On the other hand, Ty Dieffenbach got his second start of the season fell down for a brief moment right before end of the first half and then came back to help his team in second half.
“It was just a cleat on a weird spot where it’s pretty sensitive and felt nervy to him. But in the end, when he came in and moved it around, he’s like ‘I’m perfectly fine. ‘But that ball, I thought was really good to B. Rowe,” Coach Chesney said.
Dieffenbach threw a perfect 63-yard touchdown pass to Brian Rowe Jr, giving UCLA 21-7 advantage. Followed by more defense dominance on quarterback Kayd Coffman causing the Spartans to go with fourth-team quarterback Leo Hannan in the fourth quarter.
“Yeah, I was going with Ty to bowling, and it’s just that we all want to be competitive in everything. Doesn’t matter if we are hanging out and playing basic games like a tick-tack-toe, we just want to win,” UCLA linebacker Jalen Woods said to FI360News “I feel like that carries onto the field and we are not going to let ourselves lose a game.”
While both teams have key injuries to their quarterback positions, it doesn’t seem to hinder UCLA’s chemistry or attention or concentration on their playoff dreams.
If teamwork makes the dream work then you see it on the sidelines, from UCLA coaches to players swag surfin’ during their game. You see it in program’s post-game interactions with family and media. This Bruin team is different. And having a trio of running backs that carry for 246 yards also proves it.
“Yeah, I’ve been on teams where you don’t hang out with guys on defense. But with this team, in the offseason, I was going with the linebackers or defensive linemen, and we were always together,” UCLA quarterback Ty Dieffenbach said to fi360News. “I think that is one of the biggest differences on this team, and why we’re so close with each other. We aren’t just isolated within position groups, whether on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.”
Wayne Knight had a relatively off day as he continues to build upon his touchdown streak, finishing with 56 yards on 15 carries. As it was Anthony Woods’ night with 112 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries including a 4-yard touchdown after consecutive carries into the end zone.
“I think it’s a brotherhood in that room, and it’s not the easiest thing to do, but I think when you go through a physical game like we did the last two, and then again today, you find that you really need each other,” Coach Chesney said.
UCLA (7-0, 5-0) upholds their conference win streak and Michigan State (2-6, 0-5) losing streak while breaking the Spartans 4 game win streak from their previous matches.