No. 4 UCLA holds on for a win over Illinois, ties school win record

Clinging to a five-point lead in the final minutes, with Illinois driving and threatening to take the lead, UCLA was in danger of suffering its first loss and seeing its perfect season derailed.

But like it has all season, the UCLA defense nicknamed the “Bruin Bullies” never wavered.

On third down, UCLA cornerback Scooter Jackson recorded his second interception of the game, returning it 41 yards and setting up a 37-yard field goal by Mateen Bhaghani.

No. 4 UCLA 22, Illinois 14, end of fourth quarter

Illinois started on its started on its 25 after a fair catch on the kickoff.

Katin Houser’s pass was broken up by Scooter Jackson. Houser’s pass was intercepted but UCLA was called for pass interference.

On first down at the Illinois 40, Houser was sacked for a loss of seven yards and the clock running down to 1:18. Houser got a bloody nose and Carson Boyd took over, tossing an incomplete pass as he was tackled. Since the official did not call intentional grounding, they could not do so after review.

On third-and-17 at the Illinois 33 and 53 seconds on the clock, Boyd tried to evade the UCLA defense under pressure from Sammy Omosigho. Illinois was called for holding, but UCLA declined the penalty to advance to fourth down. On fourth-and-17 with 47 seconds left, Boyd tossed an incomplete pas as he was pressured by Taylor Scott.

UCLA took over and ran out the clock, tying the school record for most wins in a season at 10.

No. 4 UCLA 22, Illinois 14, 1:56 left in the fourth quarter

UCLA started on its 19 after the pick.

Wayne Knight ran for three yards and Illinois called timeout to stop the clock with 2:36 remaining. Knight ran for no gain and Illinois called timeout with 2:32 left. Knight ran a loss of three yards with a goal of running time off the clock. The two-minute timeout was triggered.

Mateen Bhaghani hit a 37-yard field goal.

No. 4 UCLA 19, Illinois 14, 2:42 left in the fourth quarter

Illinois started on its 20 after the punt. Aidan Laughery ran for no gain, with Trent Hendrick and Sammy Omosigho combining for the tackle. Katin Houser passed to Christian Abney for nine yards. On third-and-one at the Illinois 29, the Illini called timeout. Jordan Anderson ran for four gains.

Houser passed to Hudson Clement for 17 yards. Houser tossed an incomplete pass. Houser passed to Anderson for two yards. On third-and-eight, at the UCLA 48 with 3:23 left, Houser tossed an incomplete pass intended for Brayden Timble. Illinois was called for holding on the play.

On third-and-18, Houser’s pass was tipped and overthrown. Scooter Jackson intercepted his second pass of the game and returned it 41 yards to the Illinois 19.

No. 4 UCLA 19, Illinois 14, 6:10 left in the fourth quarter

UCLA started on its 25 after the touchback.

Ty Dieffenbach’s deep intended for Aidan Mizell was incomplete. Wayne Knight ran for eight yards. Dieffenbach scrambled and tossed an incomplete pass intended for Wayne Knight.

UCLA punted in heavy rain to the Illinois 20.

No. 4 UCLA 19, Illinois 14, 7:14 left in the fourth quarter

Illinois started on the 25 after the touchback.

Katin Houser passed to Kaden Feagin for 13 yards. Houser’s pass intended for Aidan Laughery was dropped as the rain picked up and Sammy Omosigho closed in for a hit. Houser passed to Christian Abney for four yards. On third-and-six, Houser scrambled out of a collapsing pocket for seven yards. Houser ran for no gain and fumbled. Darold Dengohe recovered the ball, but the play was reviewed. The call was overturned and Houser was ruled down by contact.

Houser passed to Collin Dixon for a one-yard loss. Houser passed to Hudson Clement for 21 yards and to Dixon for 27 yards.

Houser tossed three consecutive incomplete passes before connecting with Dixon for a seven-yard touchdown. Illinois hit the extra point.

No. 4 UCLA 19, Illinois 7, 11:38 left in the fourth quarter

UCLA started on its 25 after the touchback.

Ty Dieffenbach passed to the right sideline to Kenneth Moore III for a loss of three yards. Anthony Woods ran for five yards as time expired in the third quarter.

On third-and-seven, Dieffenbach passed to Semaj Morgan for 15 yards. Dieffenbach passed to Anthony Woods for six yards. Wayne Knight ran for five yards. Dieffenbach passed to Aidan Mizell for 19 yards. Anthony Woods ran for one yard. Dieffenbach passed over the top to Semaj Morgan for a 26-yard touchdown. And Mateen Bhaghani hit the extra point.

No. 4 UCLA 10, Illinois 7, 1:08 left in the third quarter

Illinois started on its 46 after a fourth down stop.

Katin Houser tossed an incomplete pass. Houser ran for seven yards. Aidan Laughery ran for nine yards. Jordan Anderson ran for two yards. Houser passed to Kaden Feagin for 18 yards.

Rodrick Pleasant was injured on the play, triggering a timeout.

Laughery ran for no gain. Houser passed to Feagin for an 18-yard touchdown. Illinois hit the extra point.

No. 4 UCLA 10, Illinois 0, 4:24 left in the third quarter

Ty Dieffenbach returned to the sideline and the Rose Bowl crowd roared.

No. 4 UCLA 10, Illinois 0, 4:24 left in the third quarter

UCLA started on its 34 after Wayne Knight’s 23-yard return.

Jaivian Thomas ran for two yards. Madden Iamaleava passed to Semaj Morgan for seven yards. Knight ran for three yards. Iamaleava tossed an incomplete pass intended for Landon Ellis. Anthony Woods ran for two yards. On third-and-eight, Iamaleava picked up a low snap and passed to Josh Phifer for six yards. On fourth-and-two, Knight ran for no gain and UCLA turned the ball over on the Illinois 46.

No. 4 UCLA 12, Illinois 0, 8:27 left in the third quarter

Illinois started on its 10 after a UCLA punt.

Aidan Laughery ran for three yards. Katin Houser was sacked by Aiden Gobaira for a loss of 13 yards and a safety.

No. 4 UCLA 10, Illinois 0, 9:08 left in the third quarter

Mateen Bhaghani’s kickoff it the pylon and it was ruled an illegal kick out of bounds. As a result, Illinois started on its 35.

Aidan Laughery ran for three yards. Laughery ran for five yards. Quarterback Katin Houser scrambled for four yards and the first down. Houser was tackled by Ta’Shawn James as he tossed the ball and it was intercepted by Derrick Barksdale at the Illinois 41.

Wayne Knight ran for a loss of one yard. Knight ran for four yards. Madden Iamaleava passed to Semaj Morgan for eight yards and a first down. Iamaleava passed downfield toward Morgan, who had to stretch to knock down the throw to avoid an interception. Anthony Woods ran for four yards. Iamaleava was sacked for a loss of eight yards.

Curtis Gerrand punted 24 yards to the Illinois 10.

Ty Dieffenbach did not join the rest of the UCLA lineup returning to the field for the start of the third quarter and third-string quarterback Madden Iamaleava was working with offensive coaches on the sideline.

No. 4 UCLA 10, Illinois 0, end of second quarter

Illinois started on its 25 after the field goal.

Aidan Laugher ran for no gain. Katin Houser tossed back-to-back incomplete passes and Illinois punted to the UCLA 33.

Ty Dieffenbach passed to Brayden Loftin for 12 yards. Ty Dieffenbach tossed an incomplete pass intended for Aidan Mizell. Dieffebach was holding his shoulder after he was tackled, but he then appeared to have trouble putting weight on one leg.

Maiden Iamaleava warmed up while Dieffenbach was treated on the field.

On second-on-10 to UCLA 45, Iamaleava tossed a quick incomplete pass to Anthony Woods. Iamaleava passed to Woods, but he dropped it.

On fourth down, Curtis Gerrand punted to the Illinois 17.

Illinois took a knee and ran out the clock during the first half.

Dieffenbach walked gingerly to the locker room.

No. 4 UCLA 10, Illinois 0, 59 seconds left in the second quarter

UCLA started on its 40 after the punt.

Ty Dieffenbach tossed an incomplete pass intended for Semaj Morgan. Dieffenbach ran for 10 yards. Wayne Knight ran for 17 yards and another five yards. Jaivian Thomas ran for eight yards to the Illinois 20 and the two-minute timeout was triggered.

Dieffenbach tossed an incomplete pass intended for Aidan Mizell in the end zone, but Illinois was called for pass interference. UCLA faked a handoff to Wayne Knight and appeared to for a five-yard touchdown, but Landon Ellis was called for a low block penalty.

Dieffenbach passed to Mizell for seven yards. Illinois called timeout with 1:42 left in the second quarter. Dieffenbach ran for seven yards. On third-and-goal at the two-yard line, Knight took a direct snap and ran for no gain.

Mateen Bhaghani hit a 20-yard field goal.

No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 4:34 left in the second quarter

Illinois started on its 1 after the Illini’s interception.

Aidan Laughery ran for two yards. UCLA’s Jalen Woods was injured on the play and a timeout was triggered. Laughery ran for two yards. Katin Hauser passed to Brayden Trimble for nine yards.

Jordan Anderson ran for two yards. Houser’s pass intended for Collin Dixon was deflected and nearly intercepted before falling incomplete. Houser’s pass intended for Dixon sailed high and was incomplete.

Illinois punted to the UCLA 40.

No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 7:20 left in the second quarter

UCLA started on its 20 after the interception.

Ty Dieffenbach tossed an incomplete pass intended for Aidan Mizell. Anthony Woods ran for four yards. Dieffenbach ran for seven yards.

Jaylan Jeffers was called for a false start. Wayne Knight ran for three yards.

Dieffenbach passed the ball about six yards to Mizell, who caught the ball, dodgers defenders and scrambled across the field and up for a gain of 57 yards.

Illinois Tanner Heckel was injured on the play, triggering a timeout.

On first down at the Illinois 8, Diffenbach rolled out and tossed the ball late. Illinois’ Juice Clark intercepted a pass intended for Landon Ellis in the end zone and returned it to the one-yard line.

No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 10:32 left in the second quarter

Illinois started on its 47 after a short punt. Rain continues to fall at the Rose Bowl.

Aidan Laughery ran for three yards. Katin Houser passed Ty Robinson for a loss of one. Houser passed Davin Stoffel for seven yards, but Scooter Jackson got called for holding on the play. Illinois gained 10 more yards and a first down.

Jordan Anderson ran for three yards. Houser ran for five yards. Anderson ran for two yards.

On first down at the UCLA 31, Illinois was called for a five-yard illegal substitution penalty. Houser’s pass intended for Collin Dixon was intercepted by Scooter Jackson in the end zone.

No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 14:48 left in the second quarter

UCLA started on its 13 after the punt.

Wayne Knight ran for three yards and one yard before time expired in the first quarter.

Ty Dieffenbach stepped through a gap in pressure and tossed an incomplete pass.

Curtis Gerrand punted to the Illinois 47.

No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 1:05 left in the first quarter

Illinois started on its four-yard line after the UCLA punt. Aidan Laughery ran for three yards and then for no gain. Katin Houser tossed an incomplete pass under pressure from Cole Cogshell.

Illinois punted from its end zone and it was nearly blocked. Semaj Morgan signaled fair catch the Illinois 45, but UCLA was called for roughing the kicker and Illinois was awarded 15 yards and a first down.

Laughery ran for two yards. Houser passed to Hudson Clement under pressure for 24 yards.

Houser passed to Christian Abney for six yards, moving the ball to the UCLA 46. Laughery ran for three yards. On third-and-one, Illinois was called for a false start. On third-and-six, Houser tossed an incomplete pass.

Illinois punted to the UCLA 13.

No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 5:44 left in the first quarter

UCLA started on its 22 after an Illinois punt.

Ty Dieffenbach passed to Aidan Mizell for 20 yards in steady rain at the Rose Bowl.

Wayne Knight ran for a one-yard loss. Dieffenbach passed to Mizell for 13 yards. Dieffenbach pitched to Jaivian Thomas for a loss of three yards. Thomas ran for is six yards and another yard. On fourth-and-six, UCLA called timeout with 5:54 left on the clock in the first quarter.

Curtis Gerrand punted 38 yards and the Bruins downed it at the Illinois 4.

No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 9:54 left in the first quarter

Illinois started on its 25 after a touchback.

Katin Houser passed to Collin Dixon for three yards. Aidan Laughery ran for six yards. Laughery ran for eight yards. Houser’s pass intended for Collin Dixon was dropped. Jordan Anderson ran for four yards. Houser’s pass intended for Hudson Clement was broken up by Derrick Barksdale.

Illinois punted of the UCLA 22.

4No. 4 UCLA 7, Illinois 0, 12:37 left in the first quarter

Illinois won the toss and elected to defer.

UCLA started on its 25 after a touchback on the kickoff.

Wayne Knight ran for five yards. Knight ran for four yards and Illinois was called for holding.

Ty Dieffenbach passed to Knight for two yards. Anthony Woods ran for no gain. And Dieffenbach passed to Aidan Mizell for a 54-yard touchdown.

Mateen Bhaghani hit the extra point.

Decades before he became UCLA’s innovative offensive coordinator, Dean Kennedy eagerly waited at mile marker 24 in Boston.

Dean stood alongside dozens of members of a large Irish Catholic family every Patriots’ Day.

And while it was a time of celebration for everyone running the Boston Marathon, it was a national holiday for the Kennedy family — especially Dean’s father, Jake Kennedy, who was an avid marathoner.

“There was the Super Bowl, and then there was the Boston Marathon,” said Zack Kennedy, Dean’s older brother. “Our whole family, from as early as I could remember, would gather up. We’d find a meeting spot on Beacon Street, two miles out from the finish line, and our cousins were there, and we would all wait for my dad.”

Undefeated UCLA has earned its highest College Football Playoff ranking, ascending to No. 4 in the top 25 released Tuesday night.

The Bruins (9-0) are coming off a decisive 34-20 win at Minnesota and moved up four spots.

UCLA coach Bob Chesney is accustomed to his team being overlooked during his first season leading the Bruins and has urged the team to ignore all rankings until the final playoff and bowl matchups are set.

The Bruins have never made the College Football Playoff and never won more than 10 games in a season.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — UCLA and USC scored a win on Monday in their constant fight for respect in the college football rankings that dictate a path to a national championship.

The Bruins and Trojans rarely are ranked as high as other programs with comparable records, especially those from the Southeastern Conference, in the early College Football Playoff national rankings. Short of going undefeated, USC and UCLA faced limited opportunities to get into what was once a four-team playoff and later expanded to 12 teams. Neither the Trojans nor Bruins have ever made the cut.

Starting next season, the College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams, a field so deep that this year’s Bruins and Trojans would be assured spots in the lucrative postseason tournament.

UCLA is 9-0 for the first time since 1998 and moved up to No. 4 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday.

It’s the Bruins’ highest ranking since their 2001 team was No. 4 following a 6-0 start.

While first-year UCLA coach Bob Chesney urged his players to ignore all rankings, including the first round of College Football Playoff rankings that had the Bruins at No. 8, fans have celebrated the move up to No. 4. UCLA is the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the poll.

This is no longer about sweet underdogs. This is no longer about smoke and mirrors.

This is as real as a Ty Dieffenbach rocket. This is as legit as a Wayne Knight rumble. This is as true as a Sammy Omosigho roar.

This is the best college football team in America.

This is UCLA.

The College Football Playoff selection committee has insulted them, their city has mostly ignored them, and few outside of the range of Bob Chesney’s wonderfully gravelly football voice has actually believed in them.