ROSEMONT, Ill. – Senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach of the UCLA football team was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon following his historic performance in the Bruins’ 34-20 win at Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Dieffenbach threw for a career-high 303 yards and matched a career-best with three touchdown passes on just eight completions against the Golden Gophers. His three TD strikes came on three consecutive pass attempts, helping UCLA break a 10-10 halftime deadlock and pull away for a two-possession win.
The Calabasas, Calif., native became the first FBS player in the last 30 years to throw for at least 300 yards on eight completions or fewer.
His three touchdown passes went for a combined 177 yards. He first linked up with tight end Noah Fox-Flores for a 27-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, then found wide receiver Aidan Mizell on back-to-back offensive snaps for 75-yard touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The 75-yard completions were the longest of Dieffenbach’s career, and made Mizell UCLA’s first single-game 150-yard receiver since Greg Dulcich against USC on Dec. 12, 2020.
With the win, the Bruins improved to 9-0 for the fourth time in program history and first time since 1998. The result allowed UCLA to jump to No. 4 in this week’s Associated Press and NCAA College Football Coaches Polls.
Dieffenbach is the fourth Bruin to earn a weekly Big Ten award this season, but the first on the offensive side of the ball. Over five games this season (four starts), Dieffenbach has thrown for 986 yards and six touchdowns on 67-for-116 passing.
UCLA returns to the Rose Bowl on Friday night, hosting Illinois (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) in Pasadena starting at 6 p.m. PT on FOX.
UCLA's All-Time Big Ten Conference Player of the Week Awards
- K Mateen Bhaghani, Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 2, 2024)
- QB Ethan Garbers, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 21, 2024)
- WR Kwazi Gilmer, Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Nov. 4, 2024)
- LB Carson Schwesinger, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 11, 2024)
- QB Nico Iamaleava, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 6, 2025)
- K Mateen Bhaghani, Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 20, 2025)
- DB Ta’Shawn James, Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 7, 2026)
- LB Sammy Omosigho, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 21, 2026)
- LB Jalen Woods, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 12, 2026)
- QB Ty Dieffenbach, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 9, 2026)