PASADENA, Calif. -- UCLA starting quarterback Ty Dieffenbach exited with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter of Friday's 22-14 win over Illinois, but returned on the Bruins' second drive of the half.
With 35 seconds left in the first half and the Bruins driving, Dieffenbach was tackled by an Illini defender after throwing the ball downfield and appeared to land awkwardly. After being examined on the field by trainers, he stood and gingerly walked off the field with the help of two fellow players.
The former Cal Poly quarterback, who replaced Bruins' Week 1 starter Nico Iamaleava after he went down with a season-ending injury against Oregon last month, has led No. 4 UCLA to four wins in four starts and has thrown 986 yards and six touchdowns in the process. On Friday, he had thrown for 168 yards and a touchdown before he was replaced by third-stringer Madden Iamaleava -- Nico's brother.
After being evaluated by the training staff, Dieffenbach returned to the sideline from the locker room with his helmet on midway through the third quarter before reentering the game.
The younger Iamaleava had one pass attempt all season and went 0-for-2 in his sudden stint before the first half ended. The Bruins led the Illini 10-0 at the time.
In head coach Bob Chesney's first year on the job, UCLA is 9-0. It is the first time since the 1998 season that the program has started 9-0 and the first time they have won nine games in a season since 2022. They have not won 10 regular-season games in 28 years.