No. 21 UCLA downs turnover-plagued No. 13 Oregon 17-15 to remain undefeated

EUGENE, Ore. — Wayne Knight rushed for a touchdown and caught another score, and No. 21 UCLA overcame an injury to starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to remain undefeated with a 17-15 victory over No. 13 Oregon on Saturday.

Knight ran for 103 yards on 22 carries and caught three passes for 12 yards, including a fourth-quarter, 9-yard touchdown reception from backup Ty Dieffenbach for the Bruins (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten).

The sloppy game featured 10 turnovers, including seven for the Ducks (3-2, 1-1), who saw their chances for a spot in the College Football Playoff fade with a second loss.

Oregon came close with Evan Stewart’s 44-yard scoring pass from Brock Thomas to make it 17-15 with 2:16 left. UCLA was flagged for a facemask penalty on Oregon’s two-point try, giving the Ducks another shot from a half yard away. UCLA’s defense smothered rusher Jordon Davison to thwart the Ducks.

The Ducks had one final drive with less than a minute left but a lost fumble and fell short as time ran out.

Iamaleava did not return in the second half because of a lower leg injury he sustained late in the opening half. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 162 yards and threw two interceptions. Dieffenbach took over for Iamaleava and threw for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Dylan Raiola started for the Ducks at quarterback in place of Dante Moore, who remains in concussion protocol. Moore was hit in the first quarter of the Ducks’ 41-27 victory at USC on Sept. 26 and left the game by ambulance.

Raiola threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns against the Trojans and made his first start for the Ducks against the Bruins. Raiola, the first backup QB to start for Oregon since Braxton Burmeister in 2017, transferred to Oregon from Nebraska in the offseason.

Raiola completed only six of 18 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions for the Ducks before he was replaced in the fourth quarter by Thomas. UCLA has 10 interceptions this season, most in the nation.

The Bruins got to the Oregon 2 on their first series of the game, but settled for Mateen Bhaghani’s 21-yard field goal.

After Iamaleava was sacked and fumbled on the UCLA 1, Oregon recovered and Davison scored with a 1-yard run on the team’s first play to put the Ducks up 7-3.

Raiola was sacked and fumbled the ball away in the third quarter, and UCLA capitalized with Knight’s 35-yard touchdown run to put the Bruins up 10-6. It was Knight’s 10th scoring run of the season.

UCLA had a chance to extend the lead but Matayo Uiagalelei blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt by Bhaghani.

Iamaleava was brought down by Bear Alexander and Jerry Mixon on a keeper late in the half, but he returned. However, he did not start the second half.

Raiola was intercepted late in the half but then Iamaleava was picked off by the Ducks on the ensuing series.

Dieffenbach hit Knight with a 9-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to make it 17-6 before Oregon’s Gage Hurych made a 26-yard field goal to narrow it to 17-9 with 5:16 left in the game.

Oregon was without starting safety Aaron Flowers, who was listed as doubtful earlier this week with an undisclosed injury.

Up Next

UCLA hosts Wisconsin, which had a bye this weekend, next Saturday.

Oregon hosts Nebraska, which lost 20-17 earlier in the day to Indiana, next Saturday.