Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz sets team record with near-perfect game against Illinois
Against Illinois on Friday night, Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz was almost perfect. And that’s not in an exaggerated way for effect. He actually nearly had a perfect completion percentage in the Badgers’ 45-7 blowout victory in the Big Ten season opener.
As a redshirt freshman, Mertz made his first career start and is replacing starter Jack Coan, who is injured and out indefinitely after needing surgery on his right foot.
But Mertz stepped up in a big way and for a team whose run game is often the star of the show as it tries to replace superstar Jonathan Taylor, who’s now with the Indianapolis Colts.
On the night, Mertz completed 20-of-21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns. And, as ESPN Stats & Info noted, his near-perfect 95.2 completion percentage is a Wisconsin program record.
Graham Mertz is the 3rd FBS player over the last 25 seasons with 5 pass TD and a 95% completion pct in a game over the last 25 seasons. He joins Gunner Kiel and Matt Barkley.
Mertz finished 20-21 (95.2%), breaking the Wisconsin comp pct record (min. 10 attempts). pic.twitter.com/qIaXmVMksG
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 24, 2020
Freshman QB @GrahamMertz5 sure lived up to the hype in his first career start
Watch his program record-tying 5 pass TDs in @BadgerFootball's opening night win against Illinois
pic.twitter.com/pA44wjThIK
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 24, 2020
Mertz threw a perfect first half for four touchdowns, and he started off by completing his first 17 passes. And his lone incompletion against Illinois was in the their quarter to senior running back Garrett Groshek on 3rd-and-19.
Late in the fourth quarter, he threw his fifth touchdown of the game, connecting with junior tight end Jake Ferguson, who caught three touchdowns Friday night.
Mertz’s standout performance even caught the attention of reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes:
That man @GrahamMertz5 going crazy tonight!
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) October 24, 2020
Wisconsin entered its season-opening weekend as one of the top-4 teams with the best chances to make the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN’s Playoff Predictor. As of Saturday morning, the Badgers have a 50.6 percent chance to make the playoff. They face Nebraska next week.