A hostile road environment, a center-quarterback combination each making their first career collegiate starts and the absence of a top receiving target don't typically work out too well for struggling offenses.

For the first 30 minutes, that didn't seem to bother UCLA redshirt sophomore quarterback Justyn Martin. Then, the Bruins' inability to string together two halves showed up once more Saturday.

UCLA's offense narrowly avoided extending a futile streak to 10 consecutive quarters without a touchdown with a score in the closing seconds of a 27-11 loss to seventh-ranked Penn State at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa.

The Bruins (1-4, 0-3 Big Ten) generated just 106 of their 260 yards of total offense after halftime. The lone touchdown was the offense's first since the first half of a 34-17 loss at Louisiana State on Sept. 21.

Martin, in just his fifth career appearance and with only five pass attempts coming in, completed his first five throws en route to a 22-of-30 effort for 167 yards and a touchdown without an interception. The Inglewood High School graduate and former four-star recruit got the nod after starter Ethan Garbers was listed as questionable prior to kickoff.

UCLA has now dropped four consecutive games.

Penn State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) was led by quarterback Drew Allar's 237 yards passing and a touchdown without an interception. Running back Kaytron Allen had 78 yards rushing and a touchdown on 21 carries.

First quarter

No scores

Second quarter

6:40, Penn State: QB Drew Allar 1-yard TD run (PAT GOOD, Ryan Barker), 7-0 Penn State

2:51, UCLA: PK Mateen Bhaghani 25-yard field goal, 7-3 Penn State

0:20, Penn State: QB Drew Allar to TE Tyler Warren, 5-yard TD (PAT GOOD, Ryan Barker), 14-3 Penn State

Third quarter

8:36, Penn State: PK Ryan Barker 25-yard field goal, 17-3 Penn State

2:57, Penn State: RB Kaytron Allen 1-yard TD run (PAT GOOD, Ryan Barker), 24-3 Penn State

Fourth quarter

8:17, Penn State: PK Ryan Barker 40-yard field goal, 27-3 Penn State

0:16, UCLA: QB Justyn Martin to WR Logan Loya, 1-yard TD (2-point conversion GOOD, Keegan Jones), 27-11 Penn State

The Bruins' defense turned in a strong opening quarter and UCLA appeared poised to be down just one score heading into the halftime break.

Allar, however, had other ideas and completed throws of 12, 24 and 25 yards before finishing off a 2-minute, 31-second drive with a 5-yard touchdown to tight end Tyler Warren.

It was particularly damaging, given that the Bruins had the ball to open the second half.

Penn State's defense then backed UCLA up inside its own 5-yard line and forced a punt on the opening possession of the third quarter. The Bruins thought they answered with a stop of their own, but a Kaylin Moore interception on a deep throw in the end zone was negated by a controversial holding penalty against UCLA safety Bryan Addison.

Nittany Lions kicker Ryan Barker took advantage with a 25-yard field goal to push the advantage to 17-3 with 8:36 left in the third.

After UCLA's third punt of the quarter, Penn State tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run from Allen to put the game out of reach before going into the fourth.

Martin showed zero nerves out of the gate and had the Bruins moving the ball on the offense's first possession.

He completed his first five throws, including a fourth-and-3 conversion, before a T.J. Harden run on fourth-and-1 was stuffed at the Penn State 23 to stall the drive. Still, it was an encouraging early sign for a UCLA offense that had struggled to consistently move the ball.

Martin was particularly effective despite throwing off his back foot on a handful of early occasions. Among the impressive throws was a 53-yard pass to Harden on a wheel route in the second quarter that nearly went for his first career touchdown to set up the Bruins' first score of the game.

Martin completed 11 of 14 pass attempts for 116 yards in the first half. He finished the game without turning the ball over.

Oladejo played his best game of the season as he continues the transition to mostly working as an edge rusher in the Bruins' retooled defense.

He was effective from the outset, helping limit the Nittany Lions to 28 yards of total offense through one quarter and stopping both third-down conversion attempts.

Oladejo's first-quarter sack snapped a string of three consecutive games without one for the entire defense. He finished with 10 tackles, including two for a loss.

The Bruins' first offensive touchdown in two weeks is the logical choice:

It wasn't for a lack of effort, but the talent gap was only further highlighted by a Bruins team that played without Garbers and fellow starting receivers Rico Flores Jr. and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, left tackle Reuben Unije and five reserves.

After a first half with promising moments, the Bruins lost 19 yards on 11 plays over their first three drives in the third quarter as the offensive line wore down. Martin was sacked twice in the quarter.

The Bruins failed to stop all six of the Nittany Lions’ third-down conversion attempts in the second quarter. Penn State finished 7 of 12 on third down.

Passing

Justyn Martin: 22 of 30 for 167 yards, TD

Rushing

Keegan Jones: 5 carries for 38 yards

Jalen Berger: 9 carries for 38 yards

T.J. Harden: 7 carries for 26 yards

Receiving

Logan Loya: 6 catches for 57 yards, TD

T.J. Harden: 5 catches for 59 yards

Moliki Matavao: 3 catches for 18 yards

Defense

Carson Schwesinger: 15 tackles, 1/2 TFL

Oluwafemi Oladejo: 10 tackles, 2 TFLs, sack

Ale Kaho: 5 tackles

Kain Medrano: 4 tackles, 2 PBUs