REPORT: Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz tests positive for COVID 19 in confirmation test

Sunday evening, news broke of an initial positive daily test for COVID-19 of Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz by Jeff Potrykus of the M…

Sunday evening, news broke of an initial positive daily test for COVID-19 of Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz by Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, and today Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports broke the story of a second positive confirmation test for the Wisconsin quarterback.

Related: Report: Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz tests positive for COVID-19

Related: A look at the Big Ten testing protocol that will determine Graham Mertz’s situation

The second test was a follow up to the daily antigen test that Mertz initially tested positive from over the weekend, and was a more reliable PCR swab test to confirm the result. The second positive confirmation test will enter Mertz into the Big Ten’s protocol for COVID-19 and he will be out for Wisconsin for at least 21 days. This means Mertz will miss the upcoming games against Nebraska, Purdue, and Michigan.

Oct 23, 2020; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) is tackled by Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Tarique Barnes (44) during the second quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, reported yesterday that backup quarterback Chase Wolf missed practice on Monday because of a positive COVID-19 test as well. This means that third-string quarterback Danny Vanden Boom could now be the starting quarterback for the Badgers, despite being the fourth quarterback on the roster at the beginning of fall camp.

Related: Report: Wisconsin QB Chase Wolf tests positive for COVID-19

Wisconsin is not allowed to comment on testing and cases of individual players per Big Ten protocol, but the next few weeks could be very interesting for Wisconsin Football.