It was nothing easy but the UCLA Bruins are 6-0 after a 17-7 win over the Wisconsin Badgers Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
The Bruins had to show some grit to outlast the Badgers, as the UCLA defense didn’t generate any turnovers for the time all season but Bob Chesney’s team found a way. Here are five heroes from UCLA’s hard-fought win.
QB Ty Dieffenbach
Ty Dieffenbach didn’t disappoint in his first start as a UCLA Bruin, throwing for 22-33 through the air for 264 yards. Dieffenbach seemed to enjoy it too, celebrating with the crowd and impressing himself with a few of his own throws.
UCLA must be feeling pretty comfortable with their backup quarterback who has been thrusted into the starring role.
Defensive Coordinator: Colin Hitschler
Colin Hitschler has found his groove. The Purdue game is starting to feel like an outlier for the UCLA defense, who have been impressive in every other game.
Hitschler’s defense didn’t force a turnover but they held Wisconsin to 3-10 on third downs with the Bruins forcing another stop on fourth down.
WR: Semaj Morgan
Forget about the interception thrown by Semaj Morgan, we’re blaming that one on Dean Kennedy. Morgan picked up five catches for 84 yards, leading the way for UCLA’s wide receivers.
Whether it’s been Nico Iamaleava or Dieffenbach, Morgan has been able to find rhythm with his quarterbacks this season.
LB: Jalen Woods
Fellow UCLA linebacker Sammy Omosigho has been an All-American caliber linebacker but Jalen Woods was the leading linebacker on Saturday. Woods registered a sack and a game-high nine tackles, with seven solo tackles.
Head Coach: Bob Chesney
How could Bob Chesney not be one of the stars for UCLA on Saturday? He’s transformed the program, taking the Bruins from a Big Ten doormat to a legit College Football Playoff contender.
Chesney seemed angrier than normal on Saturday but his team grinded through the 60 minutes and left with a 6-0 record. UCLA’s leading star is their head coach and he’s saved their program. The Chesney-led UCLA team is the last remaining unbeaten team in the Big Ten or the SEC.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Five heroes from No. 12 UCLA's 17-7 win over Wisconsin