UCLA to Start Back-Up Quarterback Martin Against Penn State

UCLA will start their backup quarterback Justyn Martin against Penn State this Saturday, as confirmed ahead of the pivotal game. Martin, a redshirt sophomore, steps into this role following Ethan Garbers’ uncertain status due to an unspecified injury, raising questions about UCLA’s quarterback lineup. In the first four games of the season, the Bruins have primarily used Garbers under center.

“For UCLA in State College today, they are four touchdown underdogs, and they may be without quarterback Ethan Garbers,” noted ESPN’s Pete Thamel during College GameDay. Thamel explained that Garbers is a game-time decision, warming up pre-game despite limited practice this week. Martin, who has taken first-team reps, is stepping into the spotlight with only five career passing attempts to his name.

Garbers’ troubles began during UCLA’s recent game against Oregon, where he sustained heavy pressure, being sacked four times. The incident left him limping and holding his head in apparent discomfort. This prompted the coaching staff to give Martin more practice reps, culminating in his starting role against Penn State. Martin, starting for the first time at the collegiate level, has appeared briefly in games this season, including limited action in the Oregon match-up.

In his limited playing time, Martin connected on one of four pass attempts for a total of seven yards. The match against Oregon was his most significant outing yet. Meanwhile, Garbers has shown a declining performance, completing 57.3 percent of his passes for 808 yards with a career-low rating. Despite his experience, his statistics—three touchdowns and six interceptions—have not met expectations.

Saturday’s game against the unbeaten Penn State Nittany Lions has UCLA as underdogs. Both teams had a slow start, with no scores in the first quarter until Penn State broke the deadlock in the second. This matchup comes with historical significance, as the two teams have not encountered each other since 1968. In that meeting, Penn State emerged victorious 21-7, marking the end of a six-year annual contest, which has remained dormant until now due to conference realignment.

The game will be held at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, marking UCLA’s first appearance in the Eastern Time Zone since 2014. Conversely, Penn State continues their impressive streak, starting the season 4-0 for the fourth consecutive year. The Nittany Lions are looking to extend their record against unranked teams, having won the last 24 such encounters since their 2021 nine-overtime loss to Illinois.