Tag: dukes mayo bowl trophy

WATCH: Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl Trophy redemption

In the latest rendition of the broken Duke’s Mayo Bowl Trophy saga released by Wisconsin football, Badgers’ quarterback Graham Mertz comi…

In the latest rendition of the broken Duke’s Mayo Bowl Trophy saga released by Wisconsin football, the Badgers staff tries to keep QB Graham Mertz away from the new hardware.

Related: WATCH: Graham Mertz reveals the real story behind the broken Duke’s Mayo Bowl trophy

This latest video is following the infamous accident that occurred in the team celebration after the Badgers’ 42-28 victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, where Graham Mertz inadvertently broke the trophy while dancing with it in the locker room. Videos of the incident quickly went viral and were even featured on SportsCenter.

In this newest video, Mertz is told by the Wisconsin Director of Football Program Operations, Pete Weiden, to not to touch the replacement trophy, but he decides to pick it up after Weiden leaves the room to answer a call. This video has a much happier ending than in December, with Mertz hoisting up the trophy, faking dropping it, and redeeming himself by setting it safely in the trophy case:

WATCH: Wisconsin wins the Duke’s Mayo Bowl…and then Graham Mertz accidentally breaks the trophy in the locker room

The Badgers may be coming home shorthanded after all

The important thing is that Wisconsin football won the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in convincing fashion over Wake Forest. The 42-28 win saw the Badgers pick off Demon Deacon’s QB Sam Hartman four times in the second half and cruise in the fourth quarter to their fourth win of the season.

What happened after? Well, the Duke’s Mayo Bowl trophy will not be coming home in one piece. Here is what it looked like in all its glory before it was handed to the Badgers:

Dec 30, 2020; Charlotte, NC, USA; Trophy for the winners between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Wisconsin Badgers action at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

What’s its status now? NBC 15 Madison’s George Balekji was the first to show us that, well, it’s completely shattered:

Who was the culprit that fumbled an expensive piece of hardware? The world may have never known as Paul Chryst and the players were staying hush hush in the postgame presser:

Alas, this is 2020 and nothing gets past social media. The Zone Madison sports director Zach Helpirin got his hands on a video via Wisconsin RB Julius Davis. It was a solid all-around performance from Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz on the field, just not in the locker room:

What do great leaders do when things don’t go according to plan? They don’t panic, they improvise. That’s exactly what Mertz did. Check out the new and improved trophy he made courtesy of Badgers RB Jalen Berger and Mertz on instagram:

I think the Duke’s Mayo Bowl has found their new trophy.