No. 7 UCLA storms to 8-0 as 3 first-quarter picks fuel a 27-0 Rose Bowl shutout of Nevada

PASADENA, Calif. -- Another week, another win for unbeaten and seventh-ranked UCLA.

Ty Dieffenbach threw for one touchdown and rushed for another, and the defense forced three interceptions in the first quarter in a 27-0 rout of Nevada on Saturday as the Bruins improved to 8-0 for the first time since 2005.

“To get yourself to 8-0 is a big deal and to shut a team out at any level is a big deal,” first-year coach Bob Chesney said. “There's a lot of work that still needs to go into this thing and we got to get better.”

It was UCLA's first shutout at the Rose Bowl since beating Oregon 16-0 on Nov. 24, 2007. The Bruins had been favored by 22 1/2 points over the Wolf Pack (3-5).

UCLA punctuated the game with its fourth interception in the final seconds by defensive back Ty Lee.

The offense got off to a sluggish start for the second straight game.

Cornerback Scooter Jackson intercepted Nevada quarterback Luke Duncan on his first play of the game, setting up a 26-yard field goal by Mateen Bhaghani for a 3-0 lead.

Running back Anthony Woods picked off Duncan on Nevada's second drive after the ball got tipped in the air at the UCLA 16.

Defensive back Derrick Barksdale came up with a pick-six in the quarter, leading to his 26-yard TD run that made it 10-0 and chased Duncan, who transferred from Chesney was hired last December. Duncan finished 1 for 8 for 36 yards.

“I think everybody saw that the ball was sailing and he wasn’t comfortable in the pocket,” Wolf Pack coach Jeff Choate said. “He was throwing off his back foot, and even the balls that weren’t intercepted were in harm’s way."

The Bruins have 16 interceptions this season after just one at this point last year, when they won only three games.

Dieffenbach scored on a 4-yard keeper just before halftime, extending the lead to 17-0. He finished 16 of 30 for 178 yards passing.

The Bruins struck quickly to start the third. Wayne Knight caught a 12-yard TD pass from Dieffenbach for the running back's 14th score of the season to make it 24-0. Knight had 11 carries for 53 yards to lead UCLA.

Joe McFadden's 48-yard field goal attempt on Nevada's first drive of the third went under the crossbar.

On fourth-and-2, Bhaghani capped an eight-play, 28-yard drive with a 38-yard field goal, putting UCLA ahead 27-0 in the fourth.

AJ Bianco, in his fifth season coming off the bench, took over for Duncan and finished 6 of 13 for 71 yards for the Wolf Pack. Fourth-stringer and true freshman Reeve Sloan played the game's final minutes.

Rowe goes out

UCLA wide receiver Brian Rowe Jr. left the game after being hit hard by two defenders in the second quarter. He caught a 38-yard pass from Dieffenbach, got hit and rolled out of bounds on the Wolf Pack sideline.

The collision also took out a Nevada coach. Trainers rushed to Rowe, who eventually got up on his own after being shaken up on the play. Chesney had no update on his status afterward.

Rowe has 19 catches for 307 yards in eight games this season.

Final four

The Bruins reached the Top 10 of The AP poll playing just one ranked opponent, then-No. 13 Oregon on the road.

Their month of November gets a lot more challenging. Next week they visit Minnesota, which nearly upset No. 4 Indiana on Saturday before bowing 23-16 in overtime. After that, they host Illinois and visit Michigan, with both teams 5-3 overall. They end the regular season hosting crosstown rival USC, which was 6-2 overall before playing No. 2 Ohio State later Saturday.

“These next four games are going to be very physical and what we put out there at moments isn’t going to work," Chesney said. “We understand that and we’ll be right back to the drawing board.”

Ty and JoJo

Actor-singer-dancer JoJo Siwa was at the game, handing out Halloween candy to students and supporting Dieffenbach.

He said his mother taught Siwa in dance classes when she was young. The “Dancing With the Stars” runner-up is 23, two years older than the quarterback.

“Our families just got really close and we're good friends now,” Dieffenbach said.

Siwa was in the back of the interview room when Dieffenbach was asked about her and she broke out laughing.

Up next

Nevada: Hosts New Mexico on Friday.

UCLA: Visits Minnesota next Saturday for its first road game since Oct. 10.

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