There’s a UCLA coach who has sparked a major transformation in addition to Bob Chesney.
How about that Colin Hitschler defense?
For more than a month now, Hitschler’s unit has been in lockdown mode.
The Bruins haven’t given up more than two touchdowns in a game since the middle of September, and on Saturday they unveiled a masterpiece at the Rose Bowl.
With its offense sputtering for much of the afternoon, No. 7 UCLA’s defense stepped up in a major way during a 27-0 victory over Nevada.
The Bruins (8-0) intercepted four passes — with a drop by safety Scooter Jackson preventing a fifth — while holding the Wolf Pack (3-5) to 176 yards of offense.
It was UCLA’s first shutout since a 2015 thrashing of Oregon State and its first at home since holding Oregon scoreless in 2007.
These guys don’t call themselves the Bruin Bullies for nothing.
The Bruins’ defense is one of the biggest reasons they remain in College Football Playoff contention and have won on days when their offense has been sluggish.
Over its last five games, UCLA has given up an average of only seven points. That’s an amount they often gave up in less than a quarter under the likes of Jerry Azzinaro, Tom Bradley and some of the other defensive coordinators who preceded Hitschler.
Nevada’s best chance to put points on the board came late in the third quarter, when it missed a 48-yard field goal.
The game ended in fitting fashion, with defensive back Ty Lee making an interception in the final minute and the Bruins taking a knee to run out the clock.
What it means
The Bruins kept their unbeaten start rolling ahead of the initial release of the CFP rankings on Tuesday.
The big question is if they will be one of the top eight teams, which would put them in position to host a first-round game at the Rose Bowl.
With one of the quarterfinal games also scheduled to be played at the Rose Bowl, it’s conceivable that UCLA could play back-to-back home games in the CFP.
Turning point
With UCLA’s offense generating very little, Bruins defensive back Derrick Barksdale took it upon himself to put points on the board.
Barksdale intercepted a pass midway through the first quarter and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown, putting his team up 10-0.
After four drives that basically went nowhere, UCLA’s offense finally showed up on a 71-yard drive that ended when quarterback Ty Dieffenbach faked a handoff and plunged into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown. The Bruins were up 17-0 and that was essentially the ballgame.
MVP: Sahir West
UCLA edge rusher Sahir West made 1 ½ sacks and two tackles for loss, including one for an eight-yard loss on third down early in the fourth quarter that forced the Wolf Pack to punt from their own end zone.
West finished the game with nine tackles, continually pressuring Nevada’s quarterbacks.
DId you see that?
The Bruins had a special welcome for former teammate Luke Duncan in his return to the Rose Bowl. Jackson intercepted Duncan’s first pass, returning it to the Nevada 28-yard line and setting up a UCLA field goal for the game’s opening points.
Nevada’s second drive ended with another interception, this one by UCLA linebacker Jalen Woods.
The Wolf Pack yanked Duncan in favor of A.J. Bianco after his third interception, though Duncan returned in the second half.
Up next
The Bruins face one of their toughest remaining tests next weekend when they travel to face Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are particularly tough at Huntington Bank Stadium, where they’ve beaten Michigan and Iowa.