UCLA endures injury scare, gets heroic return to stay unbeaten

After taking a shot in the arm, Ty Dieffenbach delivered one.

Roars accompanied the UCLA quarterback with each step he took as he jogged back from the locker room to the Rose Bowl sideline late in the third quarter Friday night.

It was a heroic return for the veteran who had departed UCLA’s game against Illinois just before halftime with an upper-body injury. The crowd serenaded Dieffenbach with cheers anew once he came onto the field with his team holding a suddenly precarious lead over Illinois.

All Dieffenbach did upon his return was to complete each of his five passes on the next drive, including a beautiful touchdown toss, to help the fourth-ranked Bruins hold on for a 22-14 victory that kept their unbeaten record intact.

The Bruins could exhale only after an Illinois pass fell incomplete over the middle with 43 seconds left.

UCLA had registered another big defensive play only minutes earlier when safety Scooter Jackson came up with an interception – his second of the game – and returned it 41 yards to the Illinois 19-yard line with 2 minutes 42 seconds left.

A short Mateen Bhaghani field goal gave the Bruins a 22-14 lead, necessitating a desperation drive by the Fighting Illini that came up well short.

There were feel-good vibes all around after Dieffenbach escaped injury and UCLA improved to 10-0 for the first time since 1998 – the last season it won a conference championship.

The Bruins, who are 7-0 in Big Ten games, need only one more victory in their final two regular-season games – against Michigan and USC – to clinch an appearance in the conference title game.

What appeared to be the largest crowd of the season also celebrated a defense that intercepted three passes, registered a sack and recorded six tackles for loss while holding the Fighting Illini (6-4, 4-3) to 240 yards of offense.

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Dieffenbach had been hurt shortly before halftime, when he landed on his left shoulder and clutched the area before needing help to leave the field.

Madden Iamaleava replaced Dieffenbach and completed 3 of 7 passes for 21 yards before Dieffenbach returned.

Dieffenbach finished completing 13 of 20 passes for 232 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. His touchdowns were a 54-yard pass to Aidan Mizell on the opening drive of the game and a 26-yard pass to Semaj Morgan that put UCLA up 19-7 early in the fourth quarter.

Illinois closed to within 19-14 after quarterback Katin Houser converted a huge fourth-down play, finding wide receiver Collin Dixon in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown with 7:14 left.

The Bruins appear to be on the verge of another massive triumph.

The school is closing in on a contract extension for Bob Chesney after he’s become the hottest coaching commodity in college football, the California Post has learned.

Chesney’s new deal would provide more money and years after he signed a five-year, $33.75-million contract, with an announcement possible as soon as within the next week.

Buzz around the team appears to be growing. One of the 12 end zone tarps was removed Friday and two were shortened to make room for additional fans.

The bandwagon keeps careening toward what would be UCLA’s first appearance in the College Football Playoff.