PASADENA, Calif. - No. 9 UCLA's (7-0, 5-0) matchup against Michigan State (2-6, 0-5) began with an arduous first half defined by turnovers, dropped passes and injuries on both sides that led to a 14-7 UCLA lead at the half.
But no amount of scores, picks or fumbles prepared UCLA for the moment that hushed the Rose Bowl just before the second quarter came to an end.
Senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, in his second start for the Bruins after senior Nico Iamaleava went down with an injury of his own, was leading UCLA's final drive of the first half when he was wrapped up in a sack and went down hard, knee first.
Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune
Malik Hartford #12 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a turnover during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California.
Injury Scare
Dieffenbach was in immediate pain and writhed on the grass for a long while the entire stands and Bruins sideline held their breath. Already down one quarterback and just getting used to another, losing Dieffenbach would have been a serious derailment of what's been a stellar season.
As the Bruins punted behind him, Dieffenbach limped off the field with the aid of trainers, but he wouldn't be kept out for long.
"In the end, when he came in and moved around, he's like, 'I'm perfectly fine," UCLA head coach Bob Chesney said of Dieffenbach.
Dieffenbach started the second half and took every snap of the game despite his scare in the final seconds of the first half.
Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune
Ty Deiffenbach #14 of the UCLA Bruins looks on during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California.
Not only did he stay on the field, he made a statement on it. For his first two starts, opposing defenses have put disproportionate pressure on UCLA's admittedly formidable run game. But the special attention put on UCLA's running backs wasn't just out of respect for their abilities, it was out of disrespect for Dieffenbach's skill in the passing game.
Back In Action
But any disrespect out there for Dieffenbach's skills were quickly dispelled when he unloaded for a 63-yard pass, the longest of his UCLA career, to sophomore wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. for a touchdown that improved UCLA to a 21-7 lead just minutes into the second half.
But as much as the big pass was a statement from Dieffenbach, it was also his way of making amends for how sloppy the first half went with multiple turnovers by the offense.
Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune
Malik Hartford #12 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates an interception with teammates during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California.
"I think I missed a lot of throws today, and we had a couple incompletions that we want back," Dieffenbach said. "I think once you put it all together with the pass game and the run game, I think it's been really scary, but we're just gonna take it day by day and keep getting those reps in practice and get it all together."
With the momentum firmly back in the Bruins' favor and not going anywhere after that, UCLA moved back into the form they've showed on both sides of the ball all season.
Pushing Pace Defensively
The bruising Bruins defense delivered sack after sack to stifle the Spartans, while UCLA's final scoring drive of the game, a 10-play drive that took just under five-and-a-half minutes, moved at a breakneck pace and finished with three straight rushes for senior running back Anthony Woods that ended in a touchdown, making him one of three Bruins backs to reach the end zone in the game, to improve UCLA to a 28-7 lead.
Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune
Aiden Gobaira #97 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates a sack during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Rose Bowl Stadium on October 24, 2026 in Pasadena, California.
Michigan State may have tacked on a field goal to chip away at the lead, but the damage was done and the Bruins, led by Dieffenbach, strode into the win column for the seventh time this season by the final score of 28-10.
Dieffenbach finished the game 18-31 on receptions with 198 passing yards and one passing touchdown to help power the Bruins forward in a deeply physical game.
By fighting through adversity to make that happen, Dieffenbach and the Bruins proved once again that they are here to stay.
"They feel like... they can win every single game when they walk on that field," Chesney said. "They just know overall know that they have standards and they have to live up to those on a day-to-day basis... I think when you do all those things consistently every single day on and off the field, I think you get a really good shot of being pretty special."