2. Yeah, Graham Mertz was AMAZING
The guy set the school record with a 95% completion percentage for the game.
It was the guy’s first start against a veteran Illinois defense and a professional defensive coach in Lovie Smith who had a whole lot of time to prepare for this.
His one missed pass was a drop.
Mertz hit 20-of-21 passes for 248 yards and five scores, and best of all, he came through just when it looked like the Illini were about to turn the game around. He came up with the big throws needed on two late first half drives, the Badgers got up 28-7, and it was ballgame.
Now Wisconsin has a superstar quarterback with the prep hype and the skills to take the pressure off the ground game and not the other way around.
That was fun @GrahamMertz5 đ pic.twitter.com/QzyvMehDze
— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) October 24, 2020
1. What’s next for Wisconsin and Illinois?
Now the pressure is on Mertz to be special as the Big Ten’s newest superstar. He’s not exactly the type who’ll freak out over the attention.
Now with a trip to Nebraska up next followed up by a date with Purdue, if everything works and the ground game is more effective, the team should be 3-0 without a problem before going to Michigan.
Illinois is fine.
It’s a team loaded with experience, the best players are young and emerging, and if the defense can get star LB Jake Hansen back after a scary moment, the D will be aggressive and should create a whole lot of mistakes.
The offensive side will have to keep up against Purdue next week, and then comes a tough date with Minnesota. With a road game at Rutgers to follow, beat the Boilermakers, and at least 2-2 is likely before going to Nebraska.
A point from the offense, though, would be nice.
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