Illinois had one last chance to take the lead. Scooter Jackson took it away
PASADENA, Calif. — UCLA's perfect season survived its toughest late test yet. After building an early lead, the Bruins had to withstand an Illinois comeback before securing their 22-14 victory Friday night at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA improved to 10-0 overall and 7-0 in Big Ten play, but the finish was far less comfortable than its early lead suggested.
The Bruins opened the scoring when Ty Dieffenbach connected with Aidan Mizell for a 54-yard touchdown. Mizell finished with six catches for 176 yards, while Mateen Bhaghani added a 20-yard field goal before halftime.
The biggest concern came with 35 seconds left in the second quarter. UCLA's starting quarterback left with a left arm injury, forcing Madden Iamaleava into the game. The offense struggled without its starter, managing only a safety in the third quarter before Illinois got on the scoreboard through an 18-yard touchdown pass from Houser to Kaden Feagin.
Dieffenbach returned late in the third quarter and quickly restored UCLA's offensive momentum. He capped a 75-yard drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Semaj Morgan, pushing the lead to 19-7.
Illinois answered with a seven-yard touchdown connection between Houser and Collin Dixon, cutting the margin to 19-14 with 7:14 remaining. UCLA failed to score on its next possession, giving the Fighting Illini another chance to take control.
Jackson ended that threat with his second interception of the night. Bhaghani followed with a 37-yard field goal to make it 22-14.
The UCLA quarterback finished 13-of-20 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Houser completed 16 of 34 passes for 176 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. UCLA's defense also recorded a safety and limited Illinois to 240 total yards.
After the game, head coach Bob Chesney acknowledged that his fourth-down decision had helped Illinois back into contention, admitting UCLA had made the finish harder than necessary.
The victory matched UCLA's single-season program record for wins and continued a major turnaround from last season's 3-9 finish.
The Bruins travel to Michigan on Nov. 21 before hosting USC on Nov. 28. Their unbeaten record remains intact, but Friday's finish showed they cannot afford to keep giving opponents a way back into games.