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MINNEAPOLIS — If UCLA is in a tight game late, it always seems to have a major ally.
The fourth quarter.
The Bruins did their closing-time thing again Saturday, thanks to a simple formula.
Throw a deep pass to Aidan Mizell.
After quarterback Ty Dieffenbach completed a 75-yard touchdown pass to Mizell midway through the fourth quarter against Minnesota, he tried the exact same thing on the next play.
It came with the same result, and suddenly a game that felt like it could have gone in either direction was swinging wildly in the Bruins’ favor.
After defensive back Scooter Jackson intercepted a pass shortly thereafter, the eighth-ranked Bruins were comfortably on their way to a 34-20 victory at Huntington Bank Stadium.
It was a triumph that moved the Bruins to 9-0 for the first time since 1998 — the last time they won a conference title.
It also increased their dominance in the fourth quarter, when they have outscored teams by a 110-39 margin this season.
Dieffenbach was a master of efficiency, passing for a career-high 303 yards while completing only 8 of 16 passes. That gave him a stunning 37.9 yards per completion.
His late touchdown passes were also redemption for someone who had struggled for much of the game, losing a fumble and being intercepted before halftime that led to a Minnesota field goal.
In the end, none of UCLA’s turnover problems, trouble giving up big yardage on kickoff returns or plodding run game mattered.
It still had the fourth quarter.
What does it mean?
It was a win that UCLA badly needed after checking in at No. 8 — behind two two-loss SEC teams — in the first College Football Playoff rankings.
Remaining unbeaten after a quality road win gives the Bruins a chance to move up into more comfortable territory when the next rankings come out on Tuesday.
Turning point
After Minnesota had tied the score at 17 early in the fourth quarter, Dieffenbach threw the first of his touchdown passes to Mizell on the next play from scrimmage.
The Golden Gophers tacked on a field goal on their next possession, but Dieffenbach answered once again with another touchdown pass.
MVP: Ty Dieffenbach
It was an unconventionally great game for a quarterback who completed only a handful of passes and was responsible for two turnovers, but Dieffenbach absolutely stepped up when his team needed him to come through.
Did you see that?
UCLA might have benefited from a rare road advantage.
While Minnesota’s sideline was shrouded in shade, the Bruins’ sideline was in direct sunlight — a huge advantage on a chilly day with a game-time temperature of 44 degrees.
Up next
The Bruins return home for a Friday night game against Illinois at the Rose Bowl. The Illini are one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten, having won four consecutive games after their 24-13 victory over Nebraska on Friday.
