The No. 12 UCLA Bruins continue to stake their claim as a Big Ten title contender. Their latest example comes in a 17-7 win against Wisconsin, who came into the game with a record of 4-1.
The Bruins Grind Out Win Against Badgers
UCLA Remains Only Undefeated Big Ten Team
The Wisconsin Badgers rolled into Pasadena, California on Saturday riding a four-game win streak, and just a +2.5 underdog. They notched a notable win on the road against the then No. 13-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, where the Badgers returned home with a 24-20 victory, and followed it up with a 31-3 blowout of Michigan State.
The Bruins, in a must-win game, held a well-coached Badger offense scoreless in the first half on Saturday and took a 10-0 lead into halftime. UCLA’s offense came out executing in every aspect, with both their first- and second-quarter scoring drives going for 10+ plays and 80+ yards, eating a total of 16 minutes, 16 seconds of game time. The Bruins ended the day as the lone undefeated team in the Big Ten after the Indiana Hoosiers fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes at home.
With Florida knocking off Texas, and Tennessee knocking off the Alabama Crimson Tide after holding their potent offense to just 10 points, UCLA looks to crack the top 10 Sunday morning.
Chance To Run the Table
Off to a 6-0 start, UCLA has likely faced their toughest tests of the season until USC heads into the Rose Bowl on Nov. 28. With a strong win on the road also against the No. 13-ranked team at the time, Oregon, UCLA went into hostile Eugene and pulled off the 17-15 win, edging out the Ducks.
Over the Bruins’ next five games, their opponents have a 15-17 record headed into Week 7 of the season. UCLA quarterback Ty Dieffenbach showed poise in his first start, and the ability to manage a game and drive the Bruin offense down the field, going 22 for 33 and 264 yards with 1 interception. With the next two games being at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena against below .500 Michigan State and Nevada, the Bruins have an opportunity to continue fine-tuning both sides of the ball for the next toughest test when they head into Minnesota on Nov. 7.
The Big Ten is stacked with six teams ranked in the top 25, and if they can win out the rest of the season, the Bruins make a strong case for a generous College Football Playoff seed.
The Big Ten Conference is Wide Open
With the Bruins sitting on top of the Big Ten after Saturday’s win against a respectable Badgers team, and an Indiana loss at home against Ohio State, it is anyone’s conference.
The Trojans pose the biggest threat to the Bruins come the last game of the season, but still have to face Ohio State and Indiana in back-to-back weeks.
The Last Word
If the Bruins make the Big Ten Conference Championship, and it’s looking like they will, it is extremely likely that they will be in the trenches against a gritty Ohio State Buckeye team.
Either way you look at it, as strong as the Big Ten is this season, it won’t be the least bit surprising if the Bruins come up short in the conference title game, but still make the college football playoff as a one-loss team.
Main Image: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
