UCLA smartly decides to Gopher broke with stunning back-to-back deep shots

MINNEAPOLIS — If at first you succeed, try the exact same thing again.

Why the heck not?

That’s what UCLA’s Ty Dieffenbach and Aidan Mizell did in the fourth quarter Saturday, with stunning results.

Spotting a weakness in Minnesota’s defense, Dieffenbach unleashed a deep play-action pass over the middle to a streaking Mizell that went for a 75-yard touchdown.

On the Bruins’ next play from scrimmage — after the Golden Gophers had countered with a field goal — it was the same script, as if it was an instant replay.

Mizell badly beat his defender, Dieffenbach hit him in stride and the Bruins had another 75-yard touchdown that Mizell punctuated with a dance.

“I was tweaking out in the end zone,” Mizell said, “I’m not gonna lie.”

Just like that, the eighth-ranked Bruins were up by two scores and on their way to a 34-20 victory at Huntington Bank Stadium that kept them among the ranks of the unbeaten and on track for the College Football Playoff.

The back-to-back bombs came after UCLA diagnosed a coverage that would allow Mizell to find himself 1-on-1 with an overmatched defensive back.

“Once I saw the safety come down, it was wraps from there,” Dieffenbach said of the play design. “All green grass, Aidan killed his guy and just put it out there and let him go get it.”

It certainly helped that Dieffenbach was throwing to one of the team’s fastest players.

“He always tells me,” Dieffenbach said, ” ‘You can’t overthrow me, man, just put it out there.’ ”

Dieffenbach did just that, with each pass perfectly thrown.

“Both times, it was right there,” Mizell said. “I would have had to be sorry not to score that.”

Another factor was the sturdiness of the offensive line, which was missing starting center Riley Robell and right tackle Hall Schmidt after they both went out with injuries.

“They’ve got to hang in there and let this ball be delivered,” UCLA coach Bob Chesney said, “and I thought they did a great job of creating a pocket to be able to step up into and let it fly.”

It had been a slog of a day to that point for Dieffenbach. The senior had one pass intercepted late in the first half — leading to a Minnesota field goal — and lost a fumble in the third quarter with his team driving deep in Golden Gophers territory.

“Obviously that can’t happen in the red zone after a blocked punt,” Dieffenbach said, referring to teammate Troy Leigber’s big play on special teams. “I mean, it’s just unacceptable, so next-play mentality.”

Dieffenbach’s stats were hard to fathom. He threw for a career-high 303 yards while completing only 8 of 16 passes with three touchdowns and one interception. That meant he averaged a staggering 37.9 yards per completion.

Having a pair of 75-yard completions certainly helps.

Mizell’s two big plays were his only catches of the game, giving him 150 yards to become the first UCLA receiver to top 100 yards this season. He also became the first Bruin with 150 yards receiving since tight end Greg Dulcich did it against USC in 2020.

Meanwhile, Dieffenbach continues to round into form as a capable, confident starter, the rise of the transfer from Cal Poly in some ways resembling that of his coach. They’re both thriving in the big-time, with no limits on what they might be able to do next.

“I feel like that Oregon halftime to now is night-and-day difference,” Mizell said, alluding to Dieffenbach’s having replaced injured starter Nico Iamaleava before leading UCLA to a victory over the Ducks. “He’s more confident, he’s more consistent in practice and I feel like how he practices is how he plays — and we knew from practice this week it was over with.”

Every day, Dieffenbach said, his coach tells him the same thing.

“Just keep playing with confidence,” Dieffenbach said, repeating the message, “we got you.”

Amid UCLA’s most special season in a generation, the quarterback keeps returning the favor.