No. 4 UCLA maintained its perfect season on Friday night with a 22-14 victory over Illinois in a rain-soaked contest held in Pasadena.
Quarterback Ty Dieffenbach threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns despite leaving the game briefly with a left shoulder injury, according to Yahoo Sports reporting.
Dieffenbach, a senior transfer from Cal Poly, improved his record to 5-0 as the Bruins’ starter.
The victory marks the third time in program history that UCLA has opened a season with a 10-0 record.
Aiden Mizell led the receiving corps with 176 yards and a touchdown, while Scooter Jackson secured two interceptions to help seal the win.
The Bruins’ defensive effort successfully stymied the Illini late in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, in Boulder, Colorado, the Buffaloes achieved a significant upset by defeating No. 14 Houston 42-32.
This result marked the program’s first victory over an AP top-15 team since 2007, as reported by AP News.
The win provided a slight reprieve for head coach Deion Sanders, who holds a 20-27 record since taking over the Colorado program.
Trailing 20-7 in the first half, the Buffaloes rallied by scoring 28 consecutive points.
The team amassed 466 total yards, including a season-high 249 yards on the ground.
Colorado utilized the fast-paced Go-Go offense implemented by coordinator Brennan Marion to overcome the Cougars’ defense.
The Buffaloes recorded four touchdowns of 32 yards or more during the explosive performance.
Despite the loss, Houston quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns.
Colorado now faces the challenge of winning out to reach bowl eligibility and avoid a third losing season under Sanders.
The atmosphere in Boulder was celebratory as fans rushed the field following the final whistle, per AP News coverage.
Both UCLA and Colorado remain focused on their respective postseason goals as the college football schedule progresses.