Gophers are preparing to face two quarterbacks against UCLA

Minnesota is treating UCLA with as much preparation as any team on the schedule.

Sep 17, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Justyn Martin (6) warms up before the game against the South Alabama Jaguars at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Last week against Penn State, sophomore UCLA quarterback Justyn Martin made the first start of his college football career. Incumbent starter Ethan Garbers is dealing with an injury and the Bruins were forced to turn to their No. 2 option, but Minnesota could be dealing with both on Saturday.

Listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Martin is a former four-star high school recruit from the class of 2022. In last week's loss to Penn State, he finished 22-of-30 for 167 yards and one touchdown.

Garbers, who has been the team's starter for the better part of two seasons, has completed 57.3% of his passes this season for three touchdowns and six interceptions. Martin's performance on the road was arguably better than anything Garbers has put together this season.

"Not sure which quarterback is going to play, but they've got two quarterbacks that can win games," Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said. "One's a really good athlete that's more known for his passing, the other is a young player that's getting an opportunity as a redshirt sophomore that's going out there and doing his thing like he did last week. We gotta prepare for both."

Garbers missed the Penn State game with an undisclosed injury, but it's likely not anything too serious as he carried a questionable designation into the game. After Martin's debut performance, there's a chance Garbers' injury status won't impact the team's decision of who to start at quarterback.

The Bruins have struggled this season under first-year head coach DeShaun Foster. Their schedule has not done them any favors, with blowout losses to Indiana, LSU, Oregon and Penn State in consecutive weeks. All four of those teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.

"They fly around the ball, they play with incredible effort, they're good up front, they're big up front. We got to play our best football," Fleck said Monday. "Every week from here on out is going to call for the best game of football we've played. Period."