EUGENE, Ore. — UCLA will have to rely on its backup quarterback to beat Oregon.
After starter Nico Iamaleava left at halftime with what a team spokesperson said was a leg injury, the Bruins turned to Ty Dieffenbach in their biggest game of the season.
Iamaleava had been wildly ineffective in the first half at Autzen Stadium, completing 10 of 17 passes for 162 yards and two interceptions, including one in Oregon’s end zone. Iamaleava also lost a fumble at the 1-yard line, leading to the Ducks’ only touchdown of the first half.
Iamaleava briefly exited the game in the second quarter after getting sandwiched between two defenders before returning one play later. He did not return after halftime.
This was Dieffenbach’s first appearance for UCLA after transferring in from Cal Poly. Madden Iamaleava had been his older brother’s backup in previous games this season.
On his only play in the first half, Dieffenbach nearly threw a touchdown pass to Brian Rowe Jr. in the corner of the end zone, but Rowe couldn’t come up with the catch.
In the third quarter, the Bruins ran three consecutive plays out of the wildcat, with Wayne Knight gaining a first down on his third carry in the sequence.
Dieffenbach then completed a flea-flicker to Leland Smith for a first down before getting dropped for a loss on back-to-back plays, forcing UCLA to punt.
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