No. 5 UCLA Beats Minnesota 34-20 to Stay Unbeaten as Ty Dieffenbach Hits Aidan Mizell for Two 75-Yard TDs

No. 5 UCLA beat Minnesota 34-20 at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, pulling away in the fourth quarter to stay unbeaten. Quarterback Ty Dieffenbach threw two 75-yard touchdown passes to Aidan Mizell on back-to-back one-play drives.

The win moved the Bruins to 9-0 (6-0 Big Ten), keeping them at the top of the conference and helping their College Football Playoff case. UCLA was eighth in the first CFP rankings this week, according to the Associated Press.

Dieffenbach and Mizell break it open

Dieffenbach took over about a month ago for the injured Nico Iamaleava. He threw for a career-high 303 yards on just eight completions, the AP reported, which was enough to make up for an interception and a lost fumble. Mizell, a transfer from Florida, caught two passes for 150 yards and both fourth-quarter touchdowns, per ESPN’s stat leaders.

Running back Wayne Knight added 109 rushing yards and his 15th touchdown of the season.

Minnesota’s long field goal gamble

Minnesota kept it close for three quarters. Drake Lindsey threw for 205 yards, and his touchdown pass to freshman tight end George Rohl tied the game at 17 in the third quarter.

Two calls by Gophers coach P.J. Fleck ended up mattering most. Twice he sent kicker Luke Drzewiecki out for 56-yard field goals, and both missed wide right, the AP reported.

The first miss came on fourth-and-2 in the first quarter. It ended Drzewiecki’s FBS-best streak of 26 straight made field goals. UCLA went straight downfield after it, with Dieffenbach running 18 yards on a read option and then hitting Knight on a 28-yard swing pass to start the Bruins’ first touchdown drive.

The second miss came on fourth-and-4 in the third quarter. Knight ran 31 yards on the next snap, and three plays later Noah Fox-Flores caught a 27-yard touchdown that put UCLA ahead 17-10.

Chesney’s turnaround

UCLA has been one of the biggest surprises in college football this season under first-year coach Bob Chesney, who led James Madison to a playoff spot last season. The AP reported that the Bruins went 3-9 in 2025 and have now tied the largest one-year turnaround in program history.

The AP called this one of the three toughest games on UCLA’s 2026 schedule. Kickoff was 9 a.m. Los Angeles time with a temperature of 44 degrees, and rival USC is still to come in three weeks.

Minnesota’s struggles

The Gophers fell to 5-4 (3-3). The AP said season-ending injuries to their top two centers have weakened the offensive line. Minnesota came into the week last in the Big Ten and 127th in the FBS in yards per pass attempt.

Key numbers

• Ty Dieffenbach: 8 of 16, 303 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
• Aidan Mizell: 2 catches, 150 yards, 2 TDs
• Wayne Knight: 18 carries, 109 yards, 1 TD
• Drake Lindsey (MIN): 19 of 37, 205 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

What’s next

UCLA hosts Illinois on Friday night. Minnesota plays at Penn State next Saturday night.

FAQ