Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz sets team record with near-perfect game against Illinois

Wisconsin’s got a passing game!

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.

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.

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.

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