Penn State is a 27.5-point favorite against UCLA at Beaver Stadium Saturday.
Needless to say, UCLA is going to need a lot to go right to upset the No. 7 team in the country. It doesn’t help that the team’s starting quarterback’s status is up in the air with a lower leg injury.
Coach James Franklin said the Nittany Lions (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) are preparing to face Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers in the first conference matchup between PSU and UCLA (1-3, 0-2 Big Ten) since 1968.
“You can’t chase ghosts,” Franklin told the media at practice on Wednesday.
James Franklin said they’re preparing if Ethan Garbers will play, but they did go back and see the backup’s HS film.
“We can’t chase ghosts” pic.twitter.com/uyOMjrpt9A
— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) October 2, 2024
In four starts, Garbers has thrown for 808 yards (202 per game), owns a 57.3 completion percentage, and a 113.5 quarterback rating. He’s thrown double the number of interceptions (six) as touchdowns (three) and has been sacked 12 times, an average of four per game against a Penn State defense that has sacked the quarterback 11 times.
The verbiage is similar to what UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster said earlier this week.
“Unless we hold him out,” Foster said, “he’s going to try to get out there and play.”
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.At Monday night practice, UCLA's DeShaun Foster gave an update on Ethan Garbers and discussed what he saw from the offense and defense last week:https://t.co/IuvkZad2jt pic.twitter.com/yDl94zWtj7
— Bruin Report Online (@BruinReport) October 1, 2024
Garbers performed better last year, completing 67% of his passes and throwing 11 touchdowns. He took care of the ball, throwing three interceptions, and guided UCLA to an 8-5 campaign.
Penn State is allowing 11.5 points per game, is fourth in the nation in total yards allowed (226.5), 10th in rushing yards (72), and is allowing 155 yards per game in the pass game. Tom Allen’s defense only allowed 39 yards of total offense in the second half against No. 19 Illinois.
Justyn Martin is the next man up on UCLA’s depth chart if Garbers can’t go and Franklin said his staff scouted Martin’s high school tape.
A former four-star recruit in the class of 2022, Martin completed one pass for seven yards on four attempts in a 34-13 loss to Oregon. The 6-foot-4 redshirt sophomore owns 5-17 passes for 33 yards this season but has never started a game in his three-year collegiate career.
UCLA-Penn State will air at noon Saturday on Fox.
