The Bruins have had a fantastic run so far this season as they head into Week 7 5-0.
UCLA faces a tough Wisconsin team in Pasadena this week, and they will need players on both sides of the ball to step up and make plays if they want to continue their perfect season. Here are the three players who could be most influential in the Bruins taking down the Badgers at home.
Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Ty Dieffenbach (14) drops back to throw a pass during the third quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The first and most obvious answer is new starting quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, as he fills in for the injured Nico Iamaleava.
Iamaleava was recently revealed to have suffered a likely season-ending injury, which prompted Chesney and Co. to promote Dieffenbach to lead this team for the remainder of the season. His job as QB1 isn't completely safe, however, as Madden Iamaleava, Nico's younger brother, offers another potential solution if Dieffenbach isn't able to cut it.
Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Ty Dieffenbach (14) runs the ball before a pass during the third quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This is not an easy first test for Dieffenbach, as Wisconsin has one of the better defenses in the Big Ten. This Badgers team is hungry to continue their winning streak, and we've seen that they have the potential to win big-time games on the road this season.
Chesney and offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy will need to dial up something manageable for Dieffenbach and allow him to lean on UCLA's elite run game to improve to 6-0.
Sep 5, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Sammy Omosigho (10) reacts after a tackle against the California Golden Bears during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In a game that will likely be a lower-scoring, defense-dominated contest , it could only take one play to completely flip this game in favor of one team.
Enter Sammy Omosigho, the captain linebacker for the Bruins, who has been exemplary in forcing turnovers and big-time plays for this Bruins defense. In Omosigho's first three games, he forced at least one fumble in each of them, starting the season off hot, but he has since cooled down a little.
Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (6) carries the ball during the second half against UCLA Bruins linebacker Sammy Omosigho (10) and defensive lineman Sahir West (15) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With a big-time performance from Omosigho, this UCLA defense can continue to win the turnover battle and hopefully send the Badgers packing with a loss.
It can be easy to be rattled in your first start at quarterback, which is why Dieffenbach will likely need some help from his receivers.
Sep 19, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver Semaj Morgan (4) scores on a 27-yard touchdown pass against the Purdue Boilermakers in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The UCLA wide receiver room hasn't produced anything particularly special on the stat sheet, but that's largely due to the Bruins' style of a heavy ground game.
A player like Semaj Morgan could be of major importance in a game like this against Wisconsin. If he can find ways to get open and be reliable on third downs for Dieffenbach, it can allow both players to settle in and find a groove in this game. Morgan has been the most reliable wide receiver for the Bruins so far this season, and they'll need him to continue that reliability in week seven against Wisconsin.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as 3 UCLA Football Players To Watch Against Wisconsin .
