No. 8 UCLA beat Minnesota 34-20 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, to stay undefeated at 9-0. The Bruins went on the road to Minneapolis for a noon kickoff and handled a Minnesota team that had already beaten Michigan and No. 19 Iowa this season. The game was tied 10-10 at halftime before UCLA pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Gophers 24-10 after the break. The win keeps UCLA as one of only three undefeated teams left in the top level of college football, and it pushed the Bruins up three spots to No. 5 in USA Today live College Football Playoff projections. The next official CFP rankings come out on Tuesday, November 10.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Final score | UCLA 34, Minnesota 20 |
| Date | Saturday, November 7, 2026 |
| Kickoff | Noon ET on FOX |
| Location | Minneapolis, Minnesota, road game for UCLA |
| Halftime score | UCLA 10, Minnesota 10 |
| UCLA record after the game | 9-0, still undefeated |
| UCLA ranking before the game | No. 8 in the first CFP rankings |
| UCLA spot in live projections after the win | No. 5, up three spots |
| Next official CFP rankings | Tuesday, November 10, starting at 9 p.m. ET |
| Minnesota kicker at halftime | Luke Drzewiecki, 38-yard field goal as time expired |
| UCLA passing leader | Ty Dieffenbach, 303 yards and three touchdowns |
| UCLA receiving leader | Aidan Mizell, 150 receiving yards |
| UCLA rushing leader | Wayne Knight, 109 yards on 18 carries |
How UCLA Pulled Away After Halftime
The final score looks comfortable, but the game did not feel that way for the first two quarters. Minnesota matched UCLA point for point through the first half, and the teams went into the locker room tied at 10-10. After the break, UCLA scored 24 points while Minnesota managed only 10.
The second half turned on big plays. UCLA shared a clip during the game of back to back 75 yard touchdowns, the kind of sudden strikes that change a close game in a matter of minutes. Minnesota had spent the first half trading blows with a top ten team. In the second half, it was chasing the game.
Quarterback Ty Dieffenbach finished 8 of 16 passing for 303 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage tells the real story. A few clean throws were enough. Aidan Mizell was his main target, finishing with 150 receiving yards. Wayne Knight added balance on the ground with 109 yards on 18 carries, giving the Bruins a runner Minnesota had to respect even while the passing game stretched the field.
The Halftime Tie That Set Up the Second Half
Halftime arrived with the score level at 10-10, and the way it got there said a lot about Minnesota. The Gophers were not overmatched or lucky. They were organized, tough, and ready for the moment. Luke Drzewiecki kicked a 38 yard field goal as time expired in the first half to tie the game, a calm finish to a half in which Minnesota refused to let the higher ranked team pull away.
That kick mattered for more than the three points. It sent Minnesota into the locker room believing it could win. The Gophers had already beaten Michigan and No. 19 Iowa this season, and they had pushed No. 4 Indiana into overtime just last week.
For UCLA, the tie was a test of nerve. The Bruins had to come out of the locker room, reset, and play their own game instead of chasing the scoreboard. They did that, and the 24-10 second half is the clearest sign of a team that trusts its plan and does not panic when a game gets tight.
Why Minnesota Was a Real Test
It is easy to look at a 34-20 final score and assume the favorite was never in danger. That would be unfair to Minnesota and wrong about the game. The Gophers came into this one with real form behind them. They had beaten Michigan, one of the biggest names in the sport. They had beaten No. 19 Iowa, a ranked team. And only a week earlier, they had taken No. 4 Indiana to overtime, forcing one of the best teams in the country to survive rather than cruise.
That record explains the first half. Minnesota knew how to stay in a game and make the favorite work for every yard. Drzewiecki tying kick at the end of the half was not an accident. It was the reward for a team that had played a smart, steady first half against a better team on paper.
Road games like this are where undefeated seasons usually end. UCLA survived all of that and then won by two touchdowns. That is not a narrow escape. It is a strong road win against a team that had already proved it could beat good sides.
What the Win Means for the Playoff Picture
USA Today live projections moved UCLA up three spots after the win, from No. 8 to No. 5, with the Bruins listed at 9-0 after beating Minnesota 34-20. That move is a projection, not an official ranking, and it is worth being clear about the difference. The first official CFP rankings had UCLA at No. 8. The next official rankings come out starting at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10. Nobody outside the committee room knows yet where UCLA will land in that list.
But the direction of travel is clear. USA Today noted that UCLA made its case that at No. 8, the undefeated Bruins were vastly underrated, and that going on the road and handling a Minnesota team that nearly upset Indiana would give the committee something to think about. That is the heart of the argument for UCLA. The Bruins are not just winning. They are winning on the road against teams that have beaten ranked opponents, and they are doing it with a margin that leaves little doubt.
The same projections had UCLA hosting Boise State in a projected first round game, a snapshot that will change many times before December. Still, a top five projected seed after nine wins, with a road win over a tested Big Ten opponent, is a strong place to be with the season entering its final stretch.
For more from a wild Week 10 Saturday, read our report on Texas beating Missouri 34-20, another game that finished with the same 34-20 score after the Longhorns surged late. The two games were played on the same day, in the same noon window, and both favorites had to work hard for the win before pulling away.
What Comes Next for UCLA
At 9-0, UCLA is now one of only three undefeated teams left in the top level of college football, alongside Utah, which beat BYU 28-20 in the Holy War on the same day to reach 9-0, and Miami, which was 8-0 going into its night game at Notre Dame. That is a small club, and it gets smaller every week.
The good news for the Bruins is that they have already passed several tests of the kind that end undefeated seasons. They have won on the road. They have won after a tied halftime. They have won when the other team had real form and real belief.
The next step is the rankings release on Tuesday, November 10, starting at 9 p.m. ET. After that, the focus returns to the field, where the Bruins must keep winning to protect what they have built. Nine wins is a great start. It is not a finished job.
Also this weekend: Carson Wentz starting for the Vikings against the Bills, and Tyson Fury on Deontay Wilder.
FAQs
What was the final score of UCLA against Minnesota?
UCLA beat Minnesota 34-20 on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The game was played in Minneapolis, a road game for UCLA, with a noon ET kickoff on FOX.
What is UCLA record after beating Minnesota?
UCLA is 9-0 after the win over Minnesota. The Bruins are still undefeated and are one of only three undefeated teams left in the top level of college football, along with Utah at 9-0 and Miami at 8-0 going into its game at Notre Dame on Saturday night.
Where is UCLA ranked after the Minnesota win?
UCLA was No. 8 in the first official College Football Playoff rankings. After beating Minnesota, USA Today live projections moved the Bruins up three spots to No. 5. That is a projection, not an official ranking. The next official CFP rankings come out starting at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 10.
Who stood out for UCLA against Minnesota?
Quarterback Ty Dieffenbach threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns on 8 of 16 passing. Aidan Mizell led the receivers with 150 yards, and Wayne Knight ran for 109 yards on 18 carries. UCLA also had back to back 75 yard touchdowns in the game.
Sources
- NCAA.com, College football Week 10 live updates, schedule, scores, CFP rankings
- USA Today, CFP rankings live predictions: UCLA moves up, so who moves down
Final Thoughts
UCLA beats Minnesota 34-20 is the kind of result that looks simple on a scoreboard and reads very differently when you know the story behind it. A tied halftime on the road. A Minnesota team that had beaten Michigan and No. 19 Iowa and pushed No. 4 Indiana to overtime a week earlier. Then a 24-10 second half from a team that refused to blink.
That is what undefeated teams do. They do not win every game easily. They win the hard ones too, away from home, when the game is level and the pressure is on. UCLA did that in Minneapolis, and it did it with big plays, a balanced attack, and a calm second half that turned a close game into a clear win.
The committee will have its say on Tuesday, November 10, starting at 9 p.m. ET. Until then, the facts are enough. UCLA is 9-0, it just won on the road by 14 points, and it is climbing in every projection that matters. The Bruins are not just undefeated. They are earning it, one tough road test at a time.
