3 Matchups That Will Decide UCLA’s Matchup With Wisconsin

In order for the Bruins to advance to 6-0, they must advance past a tough Wisconsin team at home in Week 7.

When looking at the Badgers roster ahead of the contest, there are quite a few players that could offer intriguing matchups for the Bruins.

Colton Joseph vs. UCLA’s Secondary

Oct 3, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph (1) during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the potential most impactful players on Wisconsin's sideline is new transfer quarterback Colton Joseph, who transferred in from Old Dominion this past offseason.

Joseph is an exceptional athlete and can hurt the UCLA defense in multiple ways. The Bruins will have to account for both his arm and his legs on Saturday if they want to win.

Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola (8) runs the ball against UCLA Bruins linebacker Sammy Omosigho (10) during the third quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The good thing is this defense has been exceptional at taking the ball away, and Joseph tends to play much riskier than some of the other quarterbacks UCLA has faced. This means if Joseph puts the ball in harm's way, UCLA's defense must capitalize and continue to be dominant in the turnover battle in order to win this game.

The more dominant this defense can be, the easier it makes life for Ty Dieffenbach and UCLA’s offense. We've seen that this defense can put points on the board, as they did against Maryland. If they're able to do that again against Wisconsin on Saturday, it could be the difference between this game going the Bruins' way.

Wayne Knight vs. Wisconsin’s Linebacking Duo

Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins running back Wayne Knight (3) and UCLA Bruins wide receiver Aidan Mizell (1) celebrate after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If you didn't know who Wayne Knight was before, you certainly will now. The star running back is coming off a career-high 22 carries, and you can expect him to get the majority of the workload again this week.

Knight will face a potentially formidable linebacking duo against Wisconsin, as Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano are one of the best duos in the conference. It would be no surprise to see Wisconsin stack the box to stop UCLA's running game, as it will no doubt be the focal point of UCLA's offense.

If this pair of Badgers can stop Wayne Knight or even slow him down, it could mean trouble for the Bruins.

Sebastian Cheeks vs. Ty Dieffenbach

Sep 19, 2026; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Sebastian Cheeks (15) during the game against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The final matchup to keep an eye on is between UCLA's starting quarterback Ty Dieffenbach and Wisconsin edge rusher Sebastian Cheeks.

It's a tough defense to play in your first start at quarterback, and if Wisconsin can put pressure on the edge against Dieffenbach, it could leave him rattled in the pocket. We haven't seen how Dieffenbach responds to pressure this year, as we only have a limited sample size from last week.

Forcing Dieffenbach into some errant throws due to pressure could create the plays necessary to give Wisconsin the momentum and potentially the win.

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