No. 12 UCLA 17, Wisconsin 7 | Instant takeaways from loss at Rose Bowl

Dieffenbach, however, was ready for the moment. He finished with 364 yards on 22 of 34 passing and led a UCLA effort that outgained Wisconsin, 378-214.

Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph finished with just 66 yards and completed 6 of 16 passes. He led the team in rushing with 18 carries for 71 yards.

Wisconsin finished with a season-high 10 penalties for 102 yards.

Here are five instant takeaways from the game.

Badgers struggled to finish on defense

The good news for Wisconsin was that it contained the Bruins rushing attack. UCLA, which entered play ranked sixth in the nation with an average of 253.2 yards per game, had 43 yards in 17 carries, a 2.5-yard average, in the first half and finished with120 yards in 37 yards, a 3.2-yard average per carry.

Where the Badgers struggled was getting off the field on third down. UCLA converted 13 of 20 chances. That included eight of 11 opportunites in the first half.

There were three of four conversions on the drive that ended with Mateen Bhaghani’s field goal with 3:07 to go in the first quarter to give UCLA a 3-0..

Then the Bruins were 4 for 4 on the drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Wayne Knight with 7:16 to play in the first half. Three of the third down gains on that drive went for 14 yards or longer.

The plays were symbolic of UW's effort on defense, which just couldn't get the stops it needed.

Unsportsmanlike conduct for what?

Wisconsin’s biggest gain of the first half was immediately followed by a head-scratching unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Joseph.

Joseph ran for a 26-yard gain on the play to the UCLA 42-yard-line and in the course of signaling the first down appeared to do a slime celebration in which the player pretends to wipe his nose.

It seemed relatively mild gesture given the extent players are allowed to celebrate in the college game these days.

The penalty was a killer to any early Badgers momentum. UW trailed, 3-0, at the time and was two plays into the ensuing drive after a 24-yard field goal by Bhaghani with 3:07 to play in the first quarter.

The penalty pushed the Badgers back to their 42. They never made up the yardage lost by the penalty.

Tough night for the Badgers running backs

It helps to have a running quarterback like Joseph, but the Badgers are too reliant on him to carry the ground game.

He led the team in rushing again with 71 yards in 18 carries.

Senior Abu Sama returned to action after missing the past 1½ games and finished with 34 yards in six carries but his last rush came with 9:13 left in the third quarter. Junior Darrion Dupree finished with six carries for 20 yards.

Overall, Badger running backs had just 12 carries and 54 yards on the night.

Badgers lost game and safety Matt Jung

Not only did Wisconsin drop the game, but fifth-year senior safety Matt Jung was hit with a targeting penalty with about 12 minutes left in the game.

Jung made the hit on Semaj Morgan on a 33-yard reception to the middle of the field on third down but also got helmet-to-helmet contact. The targeting penalty not only resulted in an ejection for the remainder of the game but it will sideline him for the USC game Oct. 24.

Carson Van Dinter replaced him.

Stylz Blackmon continues to show value

Stylz Blackmon’s rise from Division II to the FBS ranks has been one of the better stories of the Badgers season. The junior further showed his value against UCLA.

With Austin Kawecki (hand) unable to play, Wisconsin turned to Blackmon rather than junior Ryan Cory, who stepped in for Kawecki against Michigan State. With Blackmon playing center, Wisconsin turned to PJ Wilkins at right guard. Wilkins, who started the first four games at right tackle, played primarily guard at Mississippi last season.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: No. 12 UCLA 17, Wisconsin 7 | Instant takeaways from loss at Rose Bowl