As Oregon commenced its tradition of playing “Shout” from “Animal House” before the fourth quarter, the power dynamic inside Autzen Stadium was flipped on its head.
asserted
dynamic → commence → head
UCLA players pranced giddily to every note on their side of the field, bouncing around while thrusting their arms into the air.
asserted
players → prance → air
They milled about, showing no palpable emotion.
asserted
They → mill → emotion
On a stunning Saturday showdown in which neither team could get out of its own way, it was the Bruins who were doing all of the celebrating.
uncertain
who → get → celebrating
Backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach delivered a gutsy performance and the UCLA defense put on a show for the ages during the No. 21 Bruins’ pulsating 17-15 victory over No. 13 Oregon.
asserted
defense → deliver → Oregon
It took two final stops.
asserted
It → take → stops
The Ducks needed to go only 1 yard on a 2-point conversion with two minutes left to tie the score.
asserted
Ducks → need → score
They couldn’t get it, Oregon running back Jordon Davison getting stuffed by Jalen Woods and Tyson Ford short of the goal line.
asserted
Davison → get → line
The Bruins (5-0 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) were eventually forced to punt, giving the ball back to the Ducks at their own 5-yard line with 48 seconds left.
asserted
Bruins → force → seconds
But Oregon could not engineer a miracle finish, the Bruins recovering a fumbled lateral on the final play and pouring onto the field to celebrate once more.
uncertain
Bruins → engineer → field
UCLA’s defense forced six turnovers, the Ducks (3-2, 1-1) held to 272 yards and scoring one of their touchdowns only after UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava fumbled at his own 1-yard line.
After losing confidence in quarterback Dylan Raiola, who completed only six passes and had two others intercepted, the Ducks turned to third-stringer Brock Thomas.
asserted
Ducks → force → Thomas
Iamaleava departed with a leg injury sustained when he was sandwiched by two defenders late in the second quarter.
asserted
he → depart → quarter
After returning for another play and throwing a pass that was intercepted in the end zone, Iamaleava was confined to the sideline for the second half.
asserted
Iamaleava → return → half
What it means
One of the Bruins’ most momentous wins this century made Bob Chesney the first coach in school history to win his first five games while also thrusting UCLA firmly into the mix for the College Football Playoff.
asserted
Chesney → mean → Playoff
The unbeaten Bruins’ toughest remaining games are at Minnesota, at Michigan and against USC at the Rose Bowl.
asserted
games → remain → Bowl
With UCLA facing a third-and-3 at the Oregon 9 early in the fourth quarter, Dieffenbach rolled out and completed a pass to running back Wayne Knight, who beat a slower defender to the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown.
asserted
who → face → touchdown
That gave the Bruins a 17-6 lead with 13:31 left to play.
asserted
That → give → 13:31
MVP: Ty Dieffenbach
Going from third-string quarterback to hero, Dieffenbach was poised and confident after taking over for Iamaleava to start the third quarter.
asserted
Dieffenbach → go → quarter
He finished the game completing 3 of 6 passes for 43 yards with one touchdown.
asserted
He → finish → touchdown
Did you hear that?
asserted
you → hear → that
The Oregon crowd kept booing the Ducks during a mistake-filled first half in which they struggled to move the ball.
asserted
they → keep → ball
The fans booed when quarterback Dylan Raiola was pulled down for a 1-yard loss.
asserted
Raiola → boo → loss
They booed when the Ducks lined up in an illegal formation on a punt.
asserted
Ducks → boo → punt
They booed when another run was stuffed, UCLA’s defense playing as if it knew so many plays before the snap.
asserted
it → boo → snap
By halftime, Oregon had managed just 58 yards of offense.
asserted
Oregon → manage → offense
The Ducks’ touchdown came courtesy of Iamaleava fumbling at the Bruins’ 1-yard line, necessitating only a short run on the next play.
asserted
Iamaleava → come → play
The Bruins made plenty of their own mistakes on the way to a 10-6 halftime lead.
asserted
Bruins → make → lead
Iamaleava had two passes intercepted — including one in the end zone — and failed to complete what should have been an easy touchdown pass, resulting in a field goal.
asserted
what → have → goal
Up next
The Bruins return home to face Wisconsin on Oct. 17 at the Rose Bowl, starting a three-game homestand.
asserted
Bruins → return → homestand
They will then face Michigan State on Oct. 24 before playing Nevada on Oct. 31 in a rare midseason nonconference game.
asserted
They → face → game
The Aporia
