UCLA logged its eighth win of the season Saturday when the seventh-ranked Bruins handed Nevada a 27-0 defeat. It is the first shutout win at the Rose Bowl for the Bruins since 2007.
PASADENA, Calif. — UCLA has often leaned on its defense throughout its undefeated start this season. That was never more evident than Saturday’s game against Nevada. So much so that the Bruins didn’t even need an offensive touchdown to win the game.
UCLA’s defense forced turnovers on each of the first three drives at the Rose Bowl en route to a 27-0 win over the Wolfpack. Former UCLA quarterback Luke Duncan made the start for Nevada. It was not a warm welcome back.
The Bruins forced Duncan into 3 interceptions including a pick-six for defensive back Derrick Barksdale. UCLA’s defense now has 3 pick-sixes on the season. The touchdown gave the Bruins a 10-0 lead in the game, and the team never looked back.
Linebacker Jalen Woods and senior cornerback Scooter Jackson were the other two players with interceptions against Duncan. Senior DB Ty Lee added the fourth late in the game for UCLA against backup Reeve Slone.
Bruins Get Interception Happy vs. Nevada
The bad luck for Duncan and the Wolfpack began right away. Jackson’s interception took place on the first play from scrimmage as he stepped in front of a pass.
Three of the four interceptions by the Bruins came within the first 12 Nevada plays in Saturday’s game. It eventually led to a 17-0 lead at halftime after quarterback Ty Dieffenbach added a 4-yard rushing score to cap a 71-yard drive with 1:20 to play in the second quarter.
The defensive effort continued in the second half even as Nevada used different quarterbacks. Senior AJ Bianco took snaps in addition to Duncan and Slone on Saturday. The Bruins held the Wolfpack to just 176 total yards in the win.
Defensive Dominance Continues For UCLA vs. Nevada
UCLA has emerged with one of the top defenses in the Big Ten this season. The Bruins rank first in interceptions, second in forced fumbles and third in sacks.
It has become difficult to build any kind of momentum against Colin Hitschler‘s group. That was the case for Nevada during Saturday’s game. UCLA has been particularly impressive against the run and came into Saturday’s game in the top 10 nationally.
The Wolfpack accounted for just 65 yards on the ground in the 27-point loss.
The Bruins certainly are not one-dimensional when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. That balance has made it a difficult group to game plan against. Seemingly every game there is a different standout performer.
It continued Saturday with the four interceptions. After Saturday’s game, 10 UCLA defensive players have now contributed with an interception t his season.
Bruins Push Through Sluggish Start On Offense
Dieffenbach, making his third start, gained momentum for the UCLA offense late in the first half and to open the second. His ability to run has not been put on display too much over the previous three games, but he made an impact on the ground.
The Cal Poly transfer scored his first rushing touchdown of the season on the first-half run. Plus, he had two more runs in the game. That went along with 178 yards through the air for the Bruins. He had a 12-yard passing connection with running back Wayne Knight in the third quarter to make it a 24-point lead.
